BEREA, OH — The Greetham Angle will do a position-by-position breakdown and analysis of the roster beginning in 2023 and continuing through 2024. This offseason, the Cleveland Browns will have to make painful decisions across their roster.
Over the following three weeks, we’ll look at the roster by position, players who are still under contract, and those who are about to become free agents.
Below is a breakdown of the interior offensive linemen:
Interior offensive linemen
Most NFL observers expected the Cleveland Browns to have one of the league’s strongest offensive lines entering the 2023 season. Four of the five starters had previously been named All-Pro or selected for the Pro Bowl.
Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, the Browns’ starting guards, travelled to the Pro Bowl and signed contract extensions for the 2022 season. Centre Ethan Pocic has agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal.
Bitonio and Teller will return to the Pro Bowl in 2023. It was Bitonio’s sixth consecutive selection, but he did not go since he was recovering from injuries sustained during the season. Ironically, Teller replaced Bitonio as the AFC team’s alternate.
The following offensive guards and centres finished the 2023 season on the active roster, injured reserve, or practice squad:
Joel Bitonio (6-4, 320, 10th year in Nevada) Bitonio, 32, attended his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl. Bitonio suffered multiple injuries in 2023 and missed two games. During the bye week, he underwent a scope on his knee. Bitonio is under contract through 2024, with a salary cap of $12.135 million.
Wyatt Teller (6-4, 315, 6th year at Virginia Tech) Teller, 29, appeared in all 17 games and was named to the Pro Bowl for the third time after the season as an alternate replacement. Teller signed a long-term contract deal for the 2021 season. Teller is under contract through 2024, with a salary ceiling of $11.61 million.
Michael Dunn (6-5, 315, fourth year at Maryland) Dunn, 29, served as both a guard and backup centre. Dunn appeared in 12 games, including two starts. He spent five games on injured reserve. Dunn is a free agent.
Nick Harris (6-1, 293, 4th year at Washington) — Harris, 25, concluded the season as the starting fullback. He was the Browns’ fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Harris is a free agent.
Drew Forbes (6-5, 308, fourth year at Southeast Missouri State) Forbes, 27, spent the season on the reserve/non-football illness list. Forbes is under contract through 2024, with a salary ceiling of $1.225 million.
Ethan Pocic (6-6, 320, 7th year at LSU) Pocic, 28, agreed to a three-year, $18 million contract extension last summer. Pocic missed two games due to injury in 2023, but started the remaining 15 games, including the playoff game. Pocic is under contract through 2024, with a salary cap of $3.964 million.
Dawson Deaton (6-1, 306, second year at Texas Tech) Deaton, 24, spent the 2024 season on injured reserve due to a knee ailment. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft and has been on injured reserve for both seasons. Deaton has signed for the 2024 season, with a salary cap of $815,000.
Luke Wypler (6-3, 303; Rookie, Ohio State) Wypler, 22, appeared in six games and was inactive for ten. Wypler was a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Wypler is under contract in 2024, with a salary cap of $959,993.00.
Rodger Saffold (6-5, 325; 14th year, Indiana) Saffold, 35, joined the Browns’ practice squad late in the season but did not play. Saffold is a free agent.
The Browns have all of their interior players under contract, including their two Pro Bowl guards, but they also have significant financial obligations to Bitonio, Teller, and Pocic. One of the most important decisions the Browns must make this offseason is whether to restructure any of their salaries and who will provide depth on the interior.
Harris played out the final year of his rookie deal, but he proved to be productive and became the team’s starting fullback. He can also play as guard or centre. Harris is currently a free agent, although the Browns may try to re-sign him. However, if he enters free agency, he may be able to secure a starting role.
There is no doubt that the Browns will aim to add depth to their offensive line, which suffered from injuries throughout the 2023 season. Harris and Dunn were the Browns’ inside depth players, but both are now free agents.
The Browns have three players under contract, but they lack experience.
Forbes has been with the Browns for four seasons and Deaton for two, although neither has played much. Wypler will enter his second season and could play a larger role.
The Browns are unlikely to pursue one of the predicted high-priced free agents in free agency, but they may seek depth through free agency or the NFL Draft. According to PFF.com, prominent centres include Connor Williams (No. 37), Andre James (No. 44), and Lloyd Cushenberry (No. 57). The top guards include Kevin Dotson (No. 23), Robert Hunt (No. 27), Kevin Zeitler (No. 32), Dalton Risner (No. 65), and Ezra Cleveland (No. 67).
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