Deshaun Watson highlights how important the center position is for the Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson acknowledges the importance of a good center in the Cleveland Browns offense.

The Cleveland Browns need to make sure their disgraced quarterback can stand upright in 2023. One of the big issues that need to be addressed was the Browns’ inability to block blitzes last year, and some of that was blamed on Jedrick Wills unfairly. There’s a lot to blame Wills for, but his issues are against the run, for some reason, not as much against the pass.

Watson points out that the center is often responsible for directing everything, a huge change from his time in Houston, where he was the one who was making all the calls. This may be a big hint at what happens with the Browns’ center position heading into 2023, as former Browns’ center Ethan Pocic was not a great pass-blocker.

And his arrival saw the entire line take a step back, even if his run-blocking skills were high. Speaking about the offensive schemes with “The Q with Quincy Avery” podcast (via Sports Illustrated), Watson reflected on the biggest differences between Houston and Cleveland.

"In the previous offense, the quarterback did everything. I called the run points, I called the protections. I’m flipping the protection sliding here, I’m calling hots, everything.In this system, it’s basically built in, so when you come up the line of scrimmage, you’re not really doing that. You can see it, but pretty much the center is directing everything, you just gotta make sure you see the right coverage — it’s more simple in a sense."

Pointing out how much the center does in a given play, really should add some thought as to what to do with the position heading into 2023, but the answer is pretty clear. Plus, if Wills is getting dragged for his pass-blocking skills, then Pocic should be as well, considering their PFF grades are nearly the same.

The Cleveland Browns have two centers the team has been waiting on

The Cleveland Browns may have a one-hit wonder on their hands with Pocic, who is turning 28 this summer. The team can’t afford, literally, to invest money into Pocic, not when they have Nick Harris and Dawson Deaton on the roster who will cost considerably less and have higher ceilings to boot.

The Browns could also give Michael Dunn a crack at the starting center job as well, assuming they re-sign him.

Deaton and Harris, however, are guys drafted by Berry and as we’ve seen in the past, he’ll always favor his drafted guys over free agents. So expect Deaton and Harris to compete for the starting spot in 2023, while Pocic signs elsewhere.