The most daunting task on Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry’s plate this offseason was to find five new starters on the offensive line. The offensive line is the anchor of the offense and teams rarely let good linemen go, so it’s quite rare to see a team have to replace all five of its starters in one offseason.
He was able to do so through the draft, free agency, and the trade market rather quickly, and as long as this new five-man unit can gel, the talent is there for them to collectively become one of the better lines in the NFL. Of course, that’s still a big question that needs to be answered because chemistry is imperative up front, but one analyst recently pushed back on an overwhelmingly negative narrative that the Browns are going to have one of, if not the worst line in the NFL.
Cleveland.com’s Lance Reisland recently posted a defense of Cleveland’s O-Line on X in response to Warren Sharp ranking the Browns’ offensive line as the worst in the NFL. Reisland believes it’s disingenuous to do so before the Browns have taken a snap and believes this is nothing more than pushing an offseason narrative.
“The idea that the Browns have the worst offensive line in the NFL before they’ve even played a snap doesn’t make much sense to me. This is a completely rebuilt group with experienced players who have performed at a high level, others who have been outstanding when healthy, and a scheme that should better fit their strengths. Now they have to go prove it on the field, but labeling them the league’s worst in July is just another offseason narrative,” Reisland posted.
The idea that the Browns have the worst offensive line in the NFL before they’ve even played a snap doesn’t make much sense to me. This is a completely rebuilt group with experienced players who have performed at a high level, others who have been outstanding when healthy, and a…
— Lance Reisland (Coach Riz) (@LanceReisland) July 8, 2026
The members of the offensive line may be new, but they aren’t lacking in talent. Tytus Howard is a proven tackle, Zion Johnson and Elgton and Tevin Jenkins are accomplished veterans on the interior, and No. 9 pick Spencer Fano is the X-factor at left tackle with the ability to be a superstar. If he can put an end to this revolving door at left tackle that the team has had since Joe Thomas retired, that immediately makes this line at least better than the worst in the league.
There are surely going to be some growing pains, but it doesn’t mean much to rank offensive lines in July anyway. There is no way of knowing how good this unit will be until the pads are on and the games matter, so Reisland is right to feel slighted by this list.
Hopefully, the Browns won’t have to overhaul their line again anytime soon. The majority of these new linemen could easily establish themselves as long-term solutions in 2026, and it will be an interesting subplot to see what kind of production Todd Monken can get out of them early on.
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