Browns 2023 Training Camp Preview: Offensive Line
There's been a lot of hype around the Browns' offense and what it might look like heading into the 2023 season, so it makes sense to analyze the offense's engine.
The Browns enter this year's training camp with a couple of areas of concern, but the offensive line isn't one of them. Just as they have for the last two to three years, they'll begin the season with what should be one of the better offensive line units in the league. Cleveland's starting offensive line consisting of Jedrick Wills Jr, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, and Jack Conklin had a cumulative PFF grade of 73.3 in 2022. Now that the team was able to re-sign Pocic in March, the entire unit returns for the 2023 season.
The team currently has 16 offensive linemen on its roster, and that number will likely dwindle down to 9 or 10 by the time the regular season arrives. The first roster cut-off date is August 16th, when the roster must be cut down to 85 total players.
Acquisitions:
C/OG Luke Wypler (Draft), OT Dawand Jones (Draft), OT Hunter Thedford (Free Agency), OG Colby Gossett (Free Agency), OG Wes Martin (Free Agency)
Departures:
C Greg Mancz (Released), OT Chris Hubbard (Free Agency), C/OG Hjalte Froholdt (Free Agency), OT Joe Haeg (Released)
Returnees:
OT Jedrick Wills Jr., OG Joel Bitonio, C Ethan Pocic, OG Wyatt Teller, OT Jack Conklin, OT James Hudson III, OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr., OG Drew Forbes, C/OG Michael Dunn, C/OG Dawson Deaton, C Nick Harris
Projected Week 1 Depth Chart:
Left Tackle:
1. Jedrick Wills Jr.
2. James Hudson III
Left Guard:
1. Joel Bitonio
2. Michael Dunn
Center:
1. Ethan Pocic
2. Luke Wypler
Right Guard:
1. Wyatt Teller
2. Michael Dunn
Right Tackle:
1. Jack Conklin
2. Dawand Jones
Camp battle to watch:
Nick Harris vs. Luke Wypler for the backup center job. Harris was poised to take over as the starting center in 2022, but suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the first preseason game against Jacksonville.
Cleveland drafted Wypler in the sixth round of this year's draft to come in and create competition alongside Dawson Deaton for reps behind Ethan Pocic. The team also wanted to bring in another cost-effective option in the event that Nick Harris isn't fully healthy for 2023.
Biggest question marks heading into training camp:
What side will Dawand Jones play on?
Browns offensive line coach Bill Callahan has indicated that Jones will work at both left and right tackle throughout training camp. He may end up sticking at right tackle in the end, but he certainly has the talent and athleticism to play on the blind side for Cleveland going forward. If he develops into the type of player that the Browns think he can be, then it gives the team the freedom to move on from Jedrick Wills Jr. as early as 2024 if they want to.
Will Jedrick Wills Jr. take the next step in 2023?
The Browns chose to pick up Wills' 5th-year option in May, which means that he could remain with the team through at least the 2024 season. He needs to show a good amount of improvement in 2023, specifically in the run blocking department. He's shown the ability to be a long-term NFL left tackle at times, especially physically, but he doesn't show the consistent mental discipline that it takes to maintain success at the position. In 2022, he displayed poor technique such as bending at the hips and leaning on defenders in the run game rather than keeping a good knee bend and driving with his hips. This gives off an impression of laziness because this type of thing shouldn't be happening as much as it does with Wills, at the NFL level. He needs to get back to how he looked in the first half of the 2021 season, where he started showing steady in-game performances.
Bill Callahan is arguably the best offensive line coach in the league. The problems that he's shown on film can be fixed with coaching but if the desire to improve isn't there with Wills, then nothing will change.
How many offensive linemen will the team keep heading into week one?
This is one of the bigger roster topics as of right now. If they keep 9, then they'll have the freedom to carry one more player at another position of importance such as wide receiver or defensive end. If they keep 10, then they'll limit themselves in another area, but they'll have an influx of depth in the offensive line room.
It would probably behoove them to keep 9 so that the team and Jim Schwartz can carry another defensive lineman in 2023. They have at least 9 solid and dependable players up front that they could comfortably go into the season with.
