Browns offensive line ranked 21st by Pro Football Focus

For the past couple of seasons, Pro Football Focus has praised the offensive line of the Cleveland Browns. In 2014, they ranked sixth best in the NFL. In 2015, they moved up to fifth in the league. This included ranking third in pass blocking, 13th in run blocking and 17th in penalties.

Last season, Joe Thomas led the way as the league’s best offensive lineman, posting a 94.3 overall rating, a 93.6 pass blocking rating and a 90.0 run blocking rating. (For those of you not familiar with the grading system of Pro Football Focus, their analysts grade each play for each player on a scale from -2 to +2. Overall player ratings range from zero to 100.)

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However, entering 2016, PFF lists the Browns’ offensive line as only 21st in the NFL. While Thomas is entering his tenth season as the Browns’ starting left tackle, Joel Bitonio and John Greco are expected to hold onto their starting spots at left and right guard. Last season, Bitonio posted a 70.4 overall rating, an 83.3 run blocking rating and a 50.2 pass blocking rating. Meanwhile, Greco posted a 75.5 overall rating, a 75.1 pass blocking rating and a 74.9 run blocking rating.

However, the center and right tackle positions are up for grabs as mainstays Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz have left Cleveland via free agency.

Spot starters Cameron Erving and Austin Pasztor return from last season’s roster. Other potential contributors in 2016 include Alvin Bailey (former starting right tackle for the Seattle Seahawks), Shon Coleman (rookie), Spencer Drango (rookie), Garth Gerhart (2015: did not play), Mike Matthews (rookie), and Dan France (2015: practice squad, did not play). It should be noted that PFF rated Bailey poorly last season as the Seahawks’ offensive line ranked 30th in the NFL.

The Browns still hold the contract rights of Michael Bowie, who is currently in reserve/retired status. Bowie played as a spot starter for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks two years ago but has struggled to come back from injuries since then.

Regarding other positions, PFF ranks the Browns as 20th at running back, 25th at secondary, 30th at receiving corps, 31st at quarterback and 32nd at front seven.

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