The Browns offensive line drops three spots from 2020

The Cleveland Browns offensive line dropped three spots from 2020.

The Cleveland Browns are bolstered by a great offensive line but due to injuries and some rough play at the tackles spots, the unit as a whole fell from fifth-best in the NFL in 2020 to eight best in 2021. This is according to PFF, who ranked the 2021 Cleveland Browns 8th best in the league.

The Browns had a rough year blocking, with Baker Mayfield taking 43 sacks this, which was fourth-most in the NFL. This was partly due to Jack Conklin missing most of the season due to injury, Chris Hubbard missing all of the year due to injury, Jedrick Wills being a very average left tackle and Blake Hance moving from guard to tackle and struggling in the process.

Neither Wills nor Hance received particularly strong scores from PFF, with Wills receiving a 65.9 score on PFF and Hance a 56.5 score. The tackles were clearly the problem and led to Mayfield eating ga lot of sacks as neither Wills nor Hance did a great job in 2021.

The line was bolstered however by three incredible seasons from Joel Bitnio, J.C. Tretter, and Wyatt Teller; no doubt those three men were why the Browns offensive line landed as high as it did.

Tretter, Teller, and Bitonio received PFF scores of 79.4, 84.4 ad 93.6 respectively.

The Cleveland Browns need to run the line back in 2022

The Cleveland Browns would be fools to not run this offensive line group back for its third straight year. While you want to see better play from Wills, the truth is he’s good enough, and replacing him doesn’t mean you find a better option. Jack Conklin will be healthy again in 2022, which will improve the running and passing protection that declined in 2021.

Bitonio and Teller are arguably the best guard-tandem in the league, and assuming the Browns don’t do something foolish like cut J.C. Tretter for no reason, this team should be able to contend for the playoffs again in 2022 no matter what other changes come to the offense.