Cleveland Browns Free Agent Review: OL position – Decisions on several key backups

Will the Browns keep Geron Christian, Michael Dunn, and/or Nick Harris?

Next up on our preview of Cleveland Browns’ free agents is the offensive line position. The Browns have three offensive linemen set to hit the open market in March: OT Geron Christian, OG Michael Dunn, and OL Nick Harris.

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How and When They Joined the Browns

After being a third-round pick for the Washington Football Team in 2018, Christian bounced around to the Texans, Chiefs, and Dolphins. He didn’t make the Dolphins’ roster last year, and after a brief stint on the Texans’ practice squad, Cleveland signed him to their practice squad on October 31 before promoting him to their active roster on November 7.

Dunn was an undrafted free agent in 2017 and signed with the Browns in 2020. Last year, he began the year on the practice squad, but was called back up to the roster by mid-September.

Harris was a fifth-round pick in 2020 by the Browns, so his rookie contract is expiring.

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Productivity Level Last Season

Christian Was Solid for 2023…or Was He?

After Jedrick Wills started the first nine games of the season at left tackle, he suffered an MCL injury that landed him on injured reserve. Christian was thrust into the starting lineup immediately and started the final nine games (as well as the playoff game). Therefore, you had an equal sample size to evaluate both players, and the general consensus among fans seemed to be that Christian was a bit more consistent.

The offensive line grades from PFF for the 2023 season tell a different story, though — one that saw a lot of weakness at tackle, from Wills to Christian to James Hudson over at right tackle. The eye test told me that Christian was stable, and DBN’s Matt Wilson analyzed several of his games last year and saw the same thing.

Dunn the Consistent Backup Guard

Dunn started two games for Joel Bitonio last year, and played a reserve role as an extra lineman in some other games.

Harris Always Waiting for that Chance

After several years of battling injuries, last year felt like the first time that Harris was actually healthy for the whole season. He started two games at center — a spot start in Week 15 against the Bears, and then in the regular season finale against the Bengals. Besides that, though, he played in the other 15 games as an extra lineman or his new role: fullback. Harris actually saw enough snaps there to qualify as a fullback on the Pro Bowl balloting.

Back to Harris’ job filling in at center, though: he looked good, and has often been thought of as starter-ready.

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What the Browns Should Do

Even though I liked Christian, the team still has James Hudson under contract, and with Wills and Jack Conklin returning, you already have your two backup offensive tackles (Dawand Jones being the other one). Christian could be signed for a 1-year, $1.2 million deal, but I think the team will just opt to have undrafted free agents in camp.

Dunn has been a solid backup, but there was some thought that Drew Forbes might be a backup guard last year before he suffered yet another season-ending injury (see the story on Forbes’ comeback attempt here). With a new offensive line coach coming to town, I think this could be the time where the team looks to move on to some fresh blood.

Harris is a tough one to decide on. I’d like to have him back, but from his perspective, the team already has Ethan Pocic as their starter and they drafted Luke Wypler last year in the sixth round, presumably to be the new backup center down the road. Harris has been touted as a fringe starter since he was drafted, but that starting-level opportunity hasn’t worked out in Cleveland. He should look to sign with a team that is really thin at guard or center to see if he can win a starting job.

Let us know below who you think the Browns will re-sign.