2026 OL - who stays, who goes?
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My thoughts:
Conklin - 1yr new FA deal [bridge] <- Not at same 10-12/yr level
Teller - 1yr new FA deal [bridge] <- Not at same 10-12/yr level
Pocic - Let walk
Bitonio - 1 yr new FA deal [bridge + 2026 is likely his final]
D.Jones - Final yr rookie deal - backup, see how healthy he is in 2026Also keep FA Teven Jenkins from current roster.
Add 2 OL in draft
Prediction: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon // Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami as first-round picks. Also find 2 OG in rounds 4,5Browns 2026 draftpicks - updated after Flacco trade
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Why would those guys sign 1 year deals?
Originally Conklin's contract extension/raise was supposed to go through 2026; but that revised this past offseason to make 2025 the final year. He's having a horrible year. Before the sum of countless injuries took their toll and depreciated his value to what we're seeing today - he made All Pro immediately with the Titans and continued playing well.
Because OLs need 5 healthy guys - I think we need at least 3 OL in the draft (2 OTs) if guys like Dawand Jones (3 consecutive IR visits) are still going to be part of the plan. We should also see what's available in the UFA market.
I think Luke Wypler is ready to go at Center or even OG if need be. The pre-season injury in 2024 ending in IR set him back some but he looked really impressive in one of the preseason games to me.
As mentioned, it would be nice to extend Teller for 1-2 years and/or Bitonio for another year. Bitonio already said if he came back in 2025 that he didn't want it to be a rebuild season a la Myles Garrett's request...
Unfortunately, we are where we are with the OL. The Zinter injury from the game against Ohio State has ruined anything/everything the former Captain of a National Champion has to offer. It's equivalent to what Chubb has been since his brutal injury convenient/fair or not.
I'm glad someone posted this topic and I like his ideas. At this point, it's an introduction of an area of the team that needs a youth movement and upgrade simultaneously that we need to be thinking about.
Utah has a couple OTs that intrigue me if both come out (Fano & Lomu). I finally got to see that OL last week and thought they were a very efficient unit with 2 very good Tackles. Here's a link of the Utah OL preseason write-up: https://kslsports.com/ncaa/utah/utah-offense-line-qb/553587
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Bitonio most likely will retire. I’d extend Teller. I’d let Pocic and Conklin walk. I’d draft two starting caliber OLinemen within the first three rounds.
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Conklin bye bye.
Pocic too.
I can’t see Bitonio hanging on for another year.
Dawand Jones doesn’t move well to stay healthy.
Teller still has value and you need some continuity.
Everyone else is expendable and unreliable.
it is grim.
We will have three picks within the first 37-38 picks.
id like to come away with a day 1 starting tackle and a #1 WR and the best available lineman in the second.
Aside from the draft we need a free agent or trade acquisition used to bolster the offensive line.
We are looking at four new starters along the offensive line and no matter how you slice that or infuse talent it takes time to become an effective unit. Couple that with our QB situation - brace yourself for a similar 2026.
Our WR unit banging this drum hard has a motivated (stress motivated) Jeudy as a #2 and Tillman as a #4. The two most explosive players in the pass game are a rookie TE and our 3rd down back.
Hopefully we turn this around before our great defense ages out.
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Good topic.
Teller? I hardly know her! I’d say he’s a candidate for an extension if he wants to stick around.
I assume Bitonio will hang it up after this season. It was questionable if he would return this season. If he opts to play another year, l’d be happy throwing a worthwhile deal his way. If he opts to retire, cool. We don’t get to see too many forever Browns.
I’m not hip to how Pocic is doing. Most of my ire is on the ends of the Oline and we need some thumping bookends. The OT play is hard to watch this year.
Sure, let Jones stick around, but l would draft a pair of promising OTs, and probably go shotgun approach to find a diamond in the rough amongst the UDFAs.
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Conklin bye bye.
Pocic too.
I can’t see Bitonio hanging on for another year.
Dawand Jones doesn’t move well to stay healthy.
Teller still has value and you need some continuity.
Everyone else is expendable and unreliable.
it is grim.
We will have three picks within the first 37-38 picks.
id like to come away with a day 1 starting tackle and a #1 WR and the best available lineman in the second.
Aside from the draft we need a free agent or trade acquisition used to bolster the offensive line.
We are looking at four new starters along the offensive line and no matter how you slice that or infuse talent it takes time to become an effective unit. Couple that with our QB situation - brace yourself for a similar 2026.
Our WR unit banging this drum hard has a motivated (stress motivated) Jeudy as a #2 and Tillman as a #4. The two most explosive players in the pass game are a rookie TE and our 3rd down back.
Hopefully we turn this around before our great defense ages out.
Conklin bye bye.
Pocic too.
I can’t see Bitonio hanging on for another year.
Dawand Jones doesn’t move well to stay healthy.
Teller still has value and you need some continuity.
Everyone else is expendable and unreliable.
it is grim.
We will have three picks within the first 37-38 picks.
id like to come away with a day 1 starting tackle and a #1 WR and the best available lineman in the second.
Aside from the draft we need a free agent or trade acquisition used to bolster the offensive line.
We are looking at four new starters along the offensive line and no matter how you slice that or infuse talent it takes time to become an effective unit. Couple that with our QB situation - brace yourself for a similar 2026.
Our WR unit banging this drum hard has a motivated (stress motivated) Jeudy as a #2 and Tillman as a #4. The two most explosive players in the pass game are a rookie TE and our 3rd down back.
Hopefully we turn this around before our great defense ages out.
To both you and @dutch-oven - all points you guys made are doable. It would be nice to get 2 starting tackles and a gifted WR after our 2nd round pick has been made.
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Replacing 60% of your starting OL in one off-season is an incredibly tall task. Pocic hasn't been playing well, but he isn't the weak point of this OL. Both OT spots have to be fixed (if the player matches the draft capital or free agency allows)
I'd be curious if Bito and Teller could go for one more season, though I suspect Bito retires. While neither have been playing to their standard, when you have weakness and so-so play on either side of you, it's hard for the guards to shine. Better OT play tends to help how the IOL plays.
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Bitonio most likely will retire. I’d extend Teller. I’d let Pocic and Conklin walk. I’d draft two starting caliber OLinemen within the first three rounds.
Bitonio most likely will retire. I’d extend Teller. I’d let Pocic and Conklin walk. I’d draft two starting caliber OLinemen within the first three rounds.
Teller was benched in the last game for poor performance he said so doubt he's coming back.
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The Cleveland Steamer that was left for us in the contracts of these OL is the dead money [a cap hit] which is the cap relief from prior years.
OTC Teller // OTC Bitonio // OTC Pocic // OTC Conklin
2026: 43.9 million [just between these 4]
2027: 19.5 million
Fuck you, Podesta.
i hope those guys stay for 1 yr / 1 million -- so we can have cap space once the roster gets more talented.
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Conklin bye bye.
Pocic too.
I can’t see Bitonio hanging on for another year.
Dawand Jones doesn’t move well to stay healthy.
Teller still has value and you need some continuity.
Everyone else is expendable and unreliable.
it is grim.
We will have three picks within the first 37-38 picks.
id like to come away with a day 1 starting tackle and a #1 WR and the best available lineman in the second.
Aside from the draft we need a free agent or trade acquisition used to bolster the offensive line.
We are looking at four new starters along the offensive line and no matter how you slice that or infuse talent it takes time to become an effective unit. Couple that with our QB situation - brace yourself for a similar 2026.
Our WR unit banging this drum hard has a motivated (stress motivated) Jeudy as a #2 and Tillman as a #4. The two most explosive players in the pass game are a rookie TE and our 3rd down back.
Hopefully we turn this around before our great defense ages out.
Conklin bye bye.
Pocic too.
I can’t see Bitonio hanging on for another year.
Dawand Jones doesn’t move well to stay healthy.
Teller still has value and you need some continuity.
Everyone else is expendable and unreliable.
it is grim.
We will have three picks within the first 37-38 picks.
id like to come away with a day 1 starting tackle and a #1 WR and the best available lineman in the second.
Aside from the draft we need a free agent or trade acquisition used to bolster the offensive line.
We are looking at four new starters along the offensive line and no matter how you slice that or infuse talent it takes time to become an effective unit. Couple that with our QB situation - brace yourself for a similar 2026.
Our WR unit banging this drum hard has a motivated (stress motivated) Jeudy as a #2 and Tillman as a #4. The two most explosive players in the pass game are a rookie TE and our 3rd down back.
Hopefully we turn this around before our great defense ages out.
Watching our Wide Receivers against opponents feels like I'm watching reruns of Wiley Coyote against the Road Runner. In other words, YES this team desperately needs a #1 WR outside and there will be game changers available in the 1st round.
Not for nothing, let's get the best wheels (Isaiah Bond) on the perimeter of our passing game a little more often. Nobody else is gonna stretch defenses here at this time. We can't see what we have without a sufficient amount of reps. While Larvadain was a nice training camp story - I don't think he'd warrant the same volume of reps anywhere else if he'd made a team anywhere else. I like what I've seen in Corley too. As for Tillman and Jeudy this year - the 1st and only word that comes to mind is stale (maybe not all their fault - but it carries over to frustration changing mental game and effort to why bother? in some of the replays I've seen with each. Former NFL QB Trent Green did a nice job calling the game.
Here's a cut and paste of the reps of WRs vrs SF from the Browns website: At wide receiver, the usual duo of Jerry Jeudy (84%) and Cedric Tillman (63%) led the way, with Malachi Corley (37%), Gage Larvadain (29%), and Isaiah Bond (29%) splitting the rest of the reps almost evenly again.
Here's some stats for the year :
https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/cleveland-browns-team-stats?category=receiving&season=2025
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Just now getting the opportunity to do some film digging at work.
Cam Robinson is a net negative. He was at least doing pretty well run blocking, but he's slipping the last few weeks.
Luke Wypler has been 'meh' so far. This OL struggles to maintain block integrity on lateral separation. It's the biggest knock on them, short of how awful they are in pass pro.
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Just now getting the opportunity to do some film digging at work.
Cam Robinson is a net negative. He was at least doing pretty well run blocking, but he's slipping the last few weeks.
Luke Wypler has been 'meh' so far. This OL struggles to maintain block integrity on lateral separation. It's the biggest knock on them, short of how awful they are in pass pro.
Just now getting the opportunity to do some film digging at work.
Cam Robinson is a net negative. He was at least doing pretty well run blocking, but he's slipping the last few weeks.
Luke Wypler has been 'meh' so far. This OL struggles to maintain block integrity on lateral separation. It's the biggest knock on them, short of how awful they are in pass pro.
I’m starting to worry that we are staring down a complete OLine makeover this offseason. Hopefully Wypler can take over for Pocic if they let him walk.
Zinter’s struggles and Jones’ injuries have put the Browns in a bind.
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Just now getting the opportunity to do some film digging at work.
Cam Robinson is a net negative. He was at least doing pretty well run blocking, but he's slipping the last few weeks.
Luke Wypler has been 'meh' so far. This OL struggles to maintain block integrity on lateral separation. It's the biggest knock on them, short of how awful they are in pass pro.
Just now getting the opportunity to do some film digging at work.
Cam Robinson is a net negative. He was at least doing pretty well run blocking, but he's slipping the last few weeks.
Luke Wypler has been 'meh' so far. This OL struggles to maintain block integrity on lateral separation. It's the biggest knock on them, short of how awful they are in pass pro.
Hasn't Wypler played all of like 38 snaps this year, and something like 6 snaps against SF
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Just now getting the opportunity to do some film digging at work.
Cam Robinson is a net negative. He was at least doing pretty well run blocking, but he's slipping the last few weeks.
Luke Wypler has been 'meh' so far. This OL struggles to maintain block integrity on lateral separation. It's the biggest knock on them, short of how awful they are in pass pro.
Hasn't Wypler played all of like 38 snaps this year, and something like 6 snaps against SF
Hasn't Wypler played all of like 38 snaps this year, and something like 6 snaps against SF
This is true, he has only played a few dozen snaps. But what I'm looking for are the high level fundamentals.
- Ability to win blocks when having favorable leverage and angle
- Decision making in pass pro
Neither have been serviceable when he has been asked to take snaps. Can it improve? Sure. But why the lack of command and execution of the basics that should have been mastered while at the CFB level? I'm not sure. All I know is the small sample size is bad and it will be a longshot to get better with greater snap count.
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