There was a time when the greater football world considered the Cleveland Browns' offensive line one of the best in the game. It all started in 2020. The team had Joel Bitonio and J.C. Tretter already on the roster, but then added Wyatt Teller in 2019, followed by Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills in 2020. The addition of those two tackles, paired with the development of Teller, and the established talent on Bitonio and Tretter, gave the Browns a feared and respected offensive line.
It was a huge factor in their turnaround in 2020 and later in 2023, but in recent years, the line has fallen apart. Tretter was let go and replaced with Ethan Pocic, who, save for one season in 2022, has failed to live up to Tretter's talent. Wills, a top-10 pick in 2020, never developed into a talent worth re-signing. Teller, once considered a top talent, has fallen off greatly in recent years.
Conklin, the big free agent acquisition of 2020, can't stay healthy despite his stellar play. When healthy, he's still very talented. When healthy. Really, the only talent still playing at the same level from 2020 is Bitonio. He's not even just still talented; the man has nearly cemented a Hall of Fame career.
Formerly Elite Browns Offensive Line Has Become One of the Worst in the NFL
The rest of the line? The hall of what could've been. The Browns' offensive line has fallen into such disarray that Pro Football Focus (PFF) has ranked the Browns' current offensive line at No. 27 out of 32 teams.
It's no surprise either. Conklin is too hurt to rely on. Pocic was the fifth-best offensive lineman on the team when the team was full of All-Pro talent, and Teller has simply fallen off so hard that it's surprising the Browns gave him the contract they did. He's still a good starter, but no one should be under the impression that we're getting the All-Pro version of him from 2020 ever again.
One can argue that losing Bill Callahan doomed the line, as the coach left before the 2024 season to join his son, Brian, in Tennessee, where Brian is the head coach of the Titans. The problem with blaming the loss of Callahan as the Browns' offensive line coach is that the talent is still mostly here. It's not like the team turned over every position. The only starter from 2024 who is gone is Jedrick Wills.
The Titans, likewise, aren't exactly impressing people either. They're only ranked 24th on the list, clearly showing that it takes more than just a coach to make an offensive line good. The Browns kept most of their players, but age and injury have sapped this once vaunted line of its standing. It may be time to really consider rebuilding this thing from the inside out.
Unfortunately, this regime of men in charge of the Browns doesn't seem to have the best luck drafting offensive linemen. Since taking over in 2020 and heading into 2024, GM Andrew Berry has drafted six players at the OL position, and none of them have proven to be starting-caliber players. Made only worse by the fact that the team opted to take no offensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft, instead taking two running backs and two quarterbacks.
The offensive line is falling apart because of injury and age, and the Browns have done nothing to replenish that group. When they've tried, they've failed, and that should be a concern for every Cleveland fan out there.