Cleveland Browns biggest weakness is now a strength

J.C. Tretter

J.C. Tretter came to Cleveland in 2017 as a free agent from the Green Bay Packers. At that time, Tretter was a talented but injury-prone center/guard that  Sashi Brown gave a three-year $16.75 million, including $10 million guaranteed. It would end up being one of the best signings of Brown’s tenure in Cleveland.

Since taking over as the starting center, Tretter has never missed a snap while ranking 16th or better among centers according to PFFs yearly rankings. He was a top ten center in both 2018 and 2019, earning him another three-year deal at a much more significant amount of money. All he has done in 2020 is overcome knee surgery and play every snap through four games as the second-best center in the NFL.

Tretter is once again at the very top of the list as a pass blocker. He has not given up a sack through four games while only being penalized once. While his pass-blocking grade has dropped slightly from the last two seasons, he is still in the top four of the PFF rankings. At a quarter of the way through the season and coming off knee surgery while playing in a new system Tretter has shown no signs of a drop-off.

As a matter of fact, he has shown that this new zone system suits his game very well as he has put up the second-best run-blocking grade of his seven-year career. In his three years as the starting center with the Browns, Tretter has never graded above 70 in the run game.

This year he has not only graded out well over 70, but he is also the fourth-best run-blocking center in the NFL at this point. All of this and he is the play-caller and leader of this offensive line. If Tretter continues to play at his current level, and nothing shows he won’t, he will finally get a Pro Bowl berth that has been a long time coming.