Early look at the Detroit Lions 2017 opponents: Cleveland Browns
By Ash Thompson
Running Backs
Isaiah Crowell averaged 4.8 yards per carry behind a horrendous offensive line last season. The team has made upgrades up front, and if they can cobble together a passing game the benefits to Crowell could be astronomical. Calling him a likely breakout candidate is not a stretch, for fantasy purposes he could be among the league’s most productive players in 2017.
The Cleveland Browns’ third down back is also a very good player. Duke Johnson has caught 114 passes in the last two seasons for the Browns. He is also a reasonably proficient runner, having averaged 4.9 yards per carry last season. He will not be pounding the rock between the tackles, but he makes the most of his opportunities. Johnson is a dangerous player in the open field. Matt Dayes is the likely third man up in Cleveland. He is a rookie that served as a three down back in college. He is adequate in all areas of the game but lacks one in which he truly excels.
Offensive Line
The Cleveland Browns have almost completely remade their offensive line for the 2017 season. Joe Thomas, of course, has gone nowhere. He is the quintessential offensive lineman. He is as powerful as a bear and glides like a gazelle in pass protection. Sadly, at 32 years old he has admitted that he is suffering from bouts of short-term memory loss. Despite this, he continues to play. He is banking on medical knowledge outpacing any further brain injury related issues he may have. For the moment he remains one of the best left tackles in football.
Joel Bitonio is the partner that Thomas has lacked for most of his career. Bitonio signed an extension that will run well beyond Thomas’ career. The Browns left guard will be in Cleveland until the 2023 offseason. The Browns also added J. C. Tretter from the Packers, and hope he can fill the void Alex Mack left at center in 2016.
The team had been hoping that Cameron Erving would step into that role, but Erving has been a monumental disappointment for them. When a franchise drafts an offensive lineman at 19th overall they are not expecting him to be merely in contention for a starting role going into his third season. Erving will compete with 2016 third round choice Shon Coleman for the right tackle role.
The Browns also added Kevin Zeitler to fill the right guard spot. Zeitler was a pro bowl caliber guard for the Cincinnati Bengals before signing with Cleveland. His addition gives the Browns a potentially dominant offensive line if they can gel. Their offensive line coach, Bob Wylie has held the position previously for the Arizona Cardinals, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (again), and now the Cleveland Browns.
Wylie may be the key to the Browns season. At every stop since Arizona in 2004 Wylie’s arrival has coincided with a significant uptick in the performance of an offensive line. in 2007 and 2009 he was the offensive line coach for teams that went to the Grey Cup, the CFL championship. In 2011 his effect on the Raiders offensive line was an increase from 3.1 to 4.9 yards per carry and Darren McFadden‘s best season as a Raider.