J.C. Tretter likely out for Cleveland Browns in Week 1

J.C. Tretter will likely miss the Cleveland Browns opener

Back in August, Cleveland Browns starting center J.C. Tretter had a minor knee procedure that was supposed to limit him for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, it appears that timetable might have been a little too optimistic.

Tretter missed the remainder of the team’s camp which led to rookie Nick Harris taking the majority of snaps in practice. And now, Harris, a fifth-round pick from Washington, might be thrown to the fire in Week 1.

That’s because according to Tony Grossi (via Aaron Goldhammer of ESPN Cleveland) Tretter is a long-shot to play against the Baltimore Ravens.

If there is any good news in this, it’s the fact that Harris has been a good player for the Browns in camp, which shouldn’t be too surprising. Entering the 2020 NFL Draft, Harris was widely considered to be one of the top prospects at the position.

He seemed to be hurt though due to a lack of versatility. While many incoming centers can transition from guard to center, Harris was believed to be a “center only” by several scouts. This isn’t to say he couldn’t play guard if needed but his skill set is suited for the middle spot on the line.

Cleveland was comfortable with that since they needed a reliable backup to Tretter. While he hasn’t missed time since joining the Browns, Tretter was banged up throughout the 2019 campaign.

Hopefully the surgery he recently had will help alleviate some of the lingering problems but it could also mean the rookie behind him is thrown to the wolves right away.