Browns: 5 most surprising players the team didn’t cut
By Chad Porto
Nick Harris
New England traded away a rookie they just drafted in 2021. They aren’t sticking with players who aren’t up to the Patriot way. The Browns retained Nick Harris. He shouldn’t be in the NFL, let alone on the final 53. It’s ok to admit he’s a bad player because he is. The Browns even said so. Instead of carrying Johnny Stanton or a fourth tight end like Kevin Stefanski likes to have, the Browns are instead carrying 10 offensive linemen and seven linebackers.
10 offensive linemen on a team are pretty unheard of.
So why carry 10? Simply put; Harris is terrible, and the Browns want to make sure they have depth (similar for the linebackers but that’s for later). Harris hasn’t looked good on the offensive line at all since coming in. The even more curious situation was that Javon Patterson looked good, Blake Hance looked real good, Harris?
Nope.
The Browns are really pushing the limits of “intelligent personnel moves” by retaining Harris. He’s not strong enough to play guard, not quick enough for center and he’s too small for tackle. What exactly is his upside?
We know where this is going. If a player isn’t good enough to start for you, then why bother retaining him? This isn’t the NBA, if he doesn’t work out, you can just try again in 2022 with a new center. You aren’t forced to make the draft pick work. Just move on. You don’t need to be married to one player.
The Browns are the only team (maybe, I’m not bothering to check) who are carrying 17 players across the offensive line and linebacking corp in 2021.
This isn’t 1998 when that idea would make sense.
Harris shouldn’t be on this team. If the Browns needed a 10th offensive lineman then why not go with Patterson? The need to hold on to players you draft even when they’re not good enough to warrant a spot is a trend I’ll never understand as a GM. It’s one thing to wif on a pick, it’s another thing to tie yourself to while it pulls you under.