Cleveland Browns

We credit Pro Football Focus, STATS LLC and Football Outsiders with OL performance data

The Browns ranked as one of the top pass-blocking units in 2014, while grading well above-average as a run-blocking group. Its overall play was improved from 2013.

Cleveland re-signed backup center Ryan Seymour in the offseason and exercised a first-round pick on center Cam Erving. Both of these moves appear to be insurance against stud incumbent, C Alex Mack, moving on in free agency after the season. Erving has positional versatility that may prove valuable at other positions and increase the depth of this unit.

2. Time to start paying attention to Cam Erving. Every ACC DL we've talked to said he's the best OL they've faced.

— RosterWatch (@RosterWatch) February 21, 2015

NFL Draft Expert Mike Loyko ranked Erving as the No. 1 center prospect in the 2015 NFL Draft. Loyko wrote “Erving was struggling at Left Tackle. However, once he moved to Center, things turned around for him. He showed that his Left Tackle-esque traits can convert to Center and provides a team with a quick, athletic, and long interior blocker. He has quick feet and is adept at creating movement in the run game. Erving’s flaws are mostly technique-based. As a Center, Erving is a lot more valuable and allows an NFL team a lot of versatility on their line. After his combine performance, he’s likely to sneak into the first round”

The dismay caused by both of Cleveland’s previous two Round 1 picks, Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert, has drowned out the fact that the Browns struck absolute gold in Round 2 of the 2014 NFL Draft with OG Joel Bitonio. The team had similar, although not quite as great, success in the second round of the 2012 Draft with RT Mitchell Schwartz.

Projected Starting Lineup

Joe Thomas, LT 6’6″ 312 pounds- 3rd pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, continues to be dominant in both the run and pass game at 30 years old, always in the discussion for the league’s top left tackle, still the cornerstone of the entire franchise, extremely durable and looks to have plenty of tread left on the tires

Joel Bitonio, LG 6’4″ 305 pounds- Was an excellent rookie in both pass protection and the run game, some will argue he played as well as Zack Martin in 2014, was in consideration by some PFWA members as a possible OROY candidate, makes a formidable duo with Thomas, the team views him as a star player

Alex Mack, C 6’4″ 311 pounds- Annually a Top 10 C since entering the league in 2009, he’s so good the that team is already preparing to lose him in 2016 free agency, a positive pass and run blocker

John Greco, RG 6’4″ 318 pounds- Has been an effective guard in Cleveland since 2012, has graded positively in all facets, play improved even more in a switch to RG in 2014

Mitchell Schwartz, RT 6’5″ 320 pounds- Had a nice rookie year, since has graded out as a respectable starting RT, not an especially strong run or pass blocker but proficient in both, appears a bit more natural in pass protection than run game

Notes-

This is an A+ starting five, which is interesting for QB Josh McCown who struggled behind a horrendous offensive line in Tampa Bay last season. McCown, who performed admirably in 2013 in CHI was a major disappointment with the Bucs largely due to the poor quality of offensive line play. The problem is, without Josh Gordon in the fold, McCown’s starting wide receivers will be Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline. It may be the most un-athletic pair of starters you’ll ever see.

We expect Andrew Hawkins to continue being a primary target, and a PPR jitterbug. He’ll likely be the most reliable fantasy option relative to ADP. The deep sleepers to keep an eye on are vertical threats Taylor Gabriel, Travis Benjamin and rookie Vince Mayle.

This offensive line is strong in pass protection and should afford McCown the opportunity to the throw the ball down the field as he prefers. Gabriel and Benjamin are vertical threats and Mayle was drafted as one.

Almost all of our RosterWatch Nation owned Isaiah Crowell last year thanks to the RosterWatch Cheat Sheet. (IF YOU AREN’T ALREADY – SIGN UP HERE TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE 2015 CHEAT SHEET V.1 BECOMES AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT WEEK.)

Crowell helped me to a championship in 2014, and the Trashman loves him going into this season. The quality of the Browns offensive line supports the idea. The only concern are Crowell’s snap counts. After only playing 26% of snaps as a rookie, given the efficiency with which he scores and his relative touchdown dependency, he’s going to have to be on the field 50-percent more often to become a regular double-digit fantasy option. And, although we believe Crowell is talented enough to do it, we do wonder if rookie dynamo Duke Johnson (who has a built-in role) offers better value with his later-round ADP. Both guys are square on our radar while Terrance West isn’t.

The most interesting sleeper of all could very well be tight end Rob Housler, an athletic player who had long been under-utilized in Arizona’s blocking-tight-end-friendly scheme. With his size and catch radius, Housler is a sneaky bet to quickly become one of McCown’s favorite targets and redzone threats.

Johnny Manziel will likely be undraftable, as it’s unlikely he’ll win the starting job in training camp. If he does happen to come out on top, or has to take over at any point during the season- we would expect JFF to be able to rack up quite a few rushing yards behind this O-Line.

Similarly to Pittsburgh, depth is our only concern with this unit, but we do believe the starting five is good enough to survive one major injury to anyone not named Joe Thomas. Rookie Cam Erving is an important addition because he will provide competition at RG while also representing depth at C and OT.