Browns: 5 best offensive players through 12 games

The Browns have now completed three-quarters of the season and in keeping with past trends, we’re looking at the five best offensive players through 12 games.

The Cleveland Browns have seen a lot of improvement from Week 1, and the biggest reason why has been arguably the league’s most dangerous offense. Unlike teams like the Chiefs, who are only ever going to beat you one way, the Browns come ready to beat you with a swiss army night of nightmare fuel. Able to slow down Nick Chubb? Bam, Kareem Hunt on a screen. Think you got the short dink and dunk passes covered, Baker Mayfield goes over the top for 53 yards and a touchdown to Donovan “Clifford Franklin” Peoples-Joes.

Think you got a great defensive front? The Browns have five men who’d belong in King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table as they do in the Pro Bowl. Five men who protect their quarterback and do so very well.

Let’s take a look at these five top guys through 12 weeks.

Joel Bitonio

Joe Bitonio looked like he was having a few rough games there in the middle of the season, but like always, Bitonio returned to form. Now he and the rest of the offensive line is back into the full swing of things and he’s really making an impact on the unit. Part of the poor play early on may be due to his o-line mate, Jedrick Wills, who isn’t having the rookie season many had hoped he would have. While Wills is playing fine, many of his mistakes aren’t things pro-level players should be making. PFF has Wills rated at a 62.5 while ranking Bitonio at 87.0

While PFF isn’t always right, in the case of Wills’ play they’re spot on. On the line, the need for simpatico between the players is so important. If you have just one bad player or make one mistake, the whole line becomes ineffective.

Holding calls, false start calls, and lateral movement all seem to be issues for Wills. Luckily though, the more Wills played, the better he understood the offense and that meant fewer mental mistakes when it came to the assignments. That in turn made Bitonio look better, as Wills wasn’t falling prey to some of the more daunting stunts that he would see. As Wills improved, Bitonio regained his form. Wills has a way to go before he’s a Pro Bowler but playing next to Bitonio has been the best thing for the rookie.

As for Bitonio, he’s on his way to a third straight Pro Bowl and possibly going down as one of the greatest Browns ever. At least in the last thirty years.