3 players Cleveland Browns should have retained for 2021
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns former player No. 2 – Kendall Lamm, offensive tackle
I’ll be honest, no one expected the injuries at offensive tackle that the Browns have suffered this year. Starters, Jack Conklin (now on season-ending injured reserve) and Jedrick Wills have all missed games, and backup, Chris Hubbard also left the season early with an injury.
Fortunately for the Browns, they have proven to have four capable tackles on the roster, but it gets ugly after that. Wills has finally gotten healthy and played better, while Blake Hance does his absolute best at right tackle with Conklin and Hubbard out for the season. Hance struggles at times vs. the bull rush, but he does have quick feet for the speed rushers.
Truthfully, as option number four, Hance is fantastic. At times we have had to see rookie James Hudson step in who is nowhere near ready to be on an NFL field.
The Browns let Kendall Lamm walk after the 2020 season thinking they had plenty of depth at the position. Berry wasn’t wrong to let Lamm walk, if they would have signed him, people would have wondered how this offense was going to start seven linemen.
But man, I bet Baker Mayfield wishes he had Lamm at right tackle, and Hance as the emergency backup right now. The interior of the offensive line is as good as they come, but the tackles have given up a lot of pressure that has sped the process of Mayfield up, which has led to more mistakes.
With a serious injury to Conklin and a few questions on the development of Wills, the Browns may need to address the tackle position next season.