While the Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation has always been a concern, they used to hang their hat on their prowess in the trenches. For the most part, they had solid offensive lines and thrived in the running game.
That hasn't been the case over the past couple of years. Losing offensive line guru Bill Callahan was a big blow, and watching their current unit age and get hurt hasn't done much to help their cause.
Now, they're left staring down a major O-line overhaul.
While that's not necessarily a bad thing, this could go sideways pretty quickly. All five starters will either be free agents or retire, and the lack of a Plan B to address this issue is another indictment on general manager Andrew Berry's record.
Browns’ O-line overhaul may define Andrew Berry’s future
Joel Bitonio is still mulling retirement, and fellow guard Wyatt Teller just announced he's leaving in free agency. Ethan Pocic and Cam Robinson will also be free agents, and Jack Conklin's restructured deal last March added dummy years that make him a scheduled 2026 free agent as well.
Granted, letting Robinson walk is probably the right thing to do. He struggled mightily in pass protection, and he was only acquired by Cleveland in desperation move to replace the injured Dawand Jones.
Conklin's situation is a little more complicated. While he's been a serviceable player for most of his career, he's too injury-prone, and he played just eight games last season. At a reasonable price, he'd be a great rotational piece, but he can no longer be trusted to be a starter.
Pocic is an average center, with his Pro Football Focus grade of 63.8 ranking No. 20 among 40 eligible players. He can hold his own in the running game, but with a diminished interior offensive line, he's also a disposable player.
The Browns will have more than enough options to address the offensive line in the NFL Draft. That said, having five players from the same unit all enter free agency at the same time, while no one else on the roster can be trusted to be a starter (outside of maybe Teven Jenkins), is a major concern.
Berry was way too shortsighted with this situation. There's no way he can legitimately think that Dawand Jones, who has suffered three season-ending injuries in as many years in the league, can be a long-term solution.
Unless he makes a big splash in free agency or the trade market, Berry is probably putting all his hope in first-year players. That gamble could either make him look like a genius and give him the foundation of a winning team for the next decade, or cost him his job at the end of the season.