Cleveland Browns: 5 players with key roles for playoff push
By Sam Penix
1. RG Nick Harris
Wyatt Teller was perhaps the NFL’s best guard this season. He suffered an ankle injury against Baltimore that kept him out of the past two games and leaves his status for Pittsburgh up in the air. That meant super-utility lineman Chris Hubbard got the start at right guard against the New York Giants, but suffered a serious knee injury after just two snaps.
That thrust rookie center Nick Harris, who hadn’t taken an NFL snap yet and who hadn’t played guard since 2017, into action. He was tasked with blocking what constitutes one of the two or three best interior defensive lines in the NFL, with Leonard Williams, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Dexter Lawrence.
Harris had some rough snaps, giving up a sack to Lawrence and losing a few other pass reps, but overall he held up well considering the major size and strength disadvantage he was playing at. The New York Jets were without Quinnen Williams for Sunday’s game, so that made Harris’s job a bit easier, but he still struggled mightily. His size is always going to be an issue in the NFL, and that is just magnified at guard.
Teller will be needed if Cleveland hopes to beat Pittsburgh and their terrific front-seven to make the playoffs. If Harris is forced to start, he’ll need to put forth a herculean effort in order for the Browns to win.
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Even if Teller can go, the team is always one snap away from Harris playing again, and it seems that he’ll be ready the next time his number is called.