The history of quality offensive linemen on the Cleveland Browns is impressive. The most recent list starts with Joe Thomas but, despite terrible records since the return, the offensive line has been full of talent for a long time.
Under Kevin Stefanski, the Browns have moved to the zone-blocking scheme that has taken over the NFL the last few years. In the scheme, the offensive line needs to be ability to get out and move laterally with great agility.
Stefanski, along with Bill Callahan, have been able to create a great unit out of the players that the front office has put together.
The best part of the unit has been the interior. While J.C. Tretter was released, guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller were given extensions last year.
Our sister site The Touchdown Wire continues their ranking of all the NFL’s positions by looking at the guards Thursday. Needless to say, Bitonio is no longer underrated as he takes the top spot on the list:
Bitonio has been one of the NFL’s better guards for a long time in terms of career value. In terms of peak value, 2021 was his best season so far, and it put him at the top of our list this time around.
Teller comes in fifth on the list where they note how he was used as a puller:
Some teams have a knack for bringing the nasty with their guards in the run game, and in 2021, the Browns were absolutely one of those teams. Last season, Cleveland had 192 rushing attempts with gap blocking and at least one puller, behind only the Ravens. No team gained more rushing yards than Cleveland’s 1,039, or rushing yards after contact with 666, and only the Bills (12) had more rushing touchdowns on those concepts than Cleveland’s nine.
Former Browns guard Kevin Zeitler, now with the Baltimore Ravens, also made the list.
Doug Farrar does a great job of not only providing the words to describe the quality of play from Bitonio and Teller but also backs it up with videos of that play. While Quentin Nelson, Zach Martin and others might get the majority of the hype, Bitonio was the best guard in the league last year according to Farrar.