Eating Healthy: WFNY Staff Chat
August 6, 2020Columbus Blue Jackets are NHL’s cinderella team and it’s a beautiful sight
August 11, 2020The Cleveland Browns had a total of five players opt-out of their 2020 seasons due to the Covid-19 pandemic: Interior Defensive Lineman Andrew Billings, offensive guard Drew Forbes, offensive guard Colby Gossett, offensive guard Malcolm Pridgeon, and offensive tackle Drake Dorbeck. With these absences this season, it will put pressure on a variety of players to step up in their place, but the most pressure will be placed on the backs of interior defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi and right guard Wyatt Teller.
Billings was brought in this offseason to be the run-stuffing starter next to Sheldon Richardson. Ogunjobi was supposed to have a slightly lighter workload where he might have been best suited. He has struggled with consistency over the course of his career, showing glimpses of great play, but then more moments where he disappears for stretches. The lesser workload could have been what the doctor ordered to turn his career back around heading into Year 4. But, Ogunjobi will no longer be in that reduced role. He must step up and be productive as the starter tackle next to Richardson.
The interior defensive line will have rookie Jordan Elliott and third-year Daniel Ekuale, but both players have either no or very little NFL game experience. So, the pressure will be on Ogunjobi to be the player we thought he would be following his rookie season. He must be consistent this season and show the steady production the team needs next to Richardson. He has to put up or shut up this year. The Browns cannot continue to wait for his potential to finally sprout to production. This season must be Ogunjobi’s year. The Browns need him to step up.
At right guard, Cleveland was expecting to have a competition for the starting job. The main competitors were Teller and Forbes. But, Forbes has opted out, while two of the backup depth players, Pridgeon and Gossett, have also opted out for this season. That leaves the job to Teller and the depth is all but gone at the position. So, the pressure is on Teller to take the job and to stay healthy.
Obviously, staying healthy has a lot to do with just pure luck, so Teller can only do so much to get this job done. However, he has total control in succeeding at the position. Teller started nine games at right guard last year in his first season with the Browns. He had an average season with some ups and some downs. His play left the position open for competition this offseason. But, there is no competition at this point. Teller has the job unless he falls on his face.
The Browns need Teller to earn it and run with the starting right guard job. Teller will be coming into his first full preseason (albeit a weird one) with the Browns after coming in a trade late during the preseason last year. He will also be coming into a blocking scheme that suits him very well. The zone blocking scheme should be perfect for Teller due to his athleticism at the position. He also has great neighbors next to him in center J.C. Tretter and right tackle Jack Conklin. The stars should be lining up for Teller to be successful. But, Teller must take advantage of this opportunity. The Browns need him to take it and have the luck to stay healthy all season. Depth is a problem behind him. He is all they have. He must step up like Ogunjobi in order for Cleveland to potentially reach its potential this season.