Oct 6, 2019; Nashville, TN, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) Buffalo Bills wide receiver Zay Jones (11) and Buffalo Bills center Mitch Morse (60) lead the team onto the field before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Browns are up there, but are they the best?
Last Tuesday, ESPN’s Mike Clay made a very bold claim; that the Cleveland Browns own the NFL’s best roster when disregarding the quarterback position.
Does Clay have a valid point, or is he overexaggerating just a bit?
Let’s go over the top nine contenders for the title and see how Cleveland stacks up.
Positional value will also be accounted for, so a strong running back or linebacker group will be worth less than a great pass-rusher stable or wide receiver room. Groups will be given grades of poor, decent, good, great, or elite.
Buffalo Bills
RB – Decent
Neither Zack Moss nor Devin Singletary is great, but both fill their small roles for the team. The Bills are a passing offense and do not run the ball often.
WR – Great
Stefon Diggs is an elite player, and Cole Beasley is one of the league’s best slot receivers. Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie fill their roles well, and the addition of Emmanuel Sanders should help cover for the loss of John Brown.
TE – Poor
Dawson Knox is very talented, but he’s yet to find the consistency needed to be considered starting-caliber. The addition of Jacob Hollister doesn’t change that room much.
OL – Good
Dion Dawkins and Daryl Williams are a quality pair of bookends, and Mitch Morse is a solid center. The issue comes from Buffalo’s guards, where none of Cody Ford, Quinton Spain, Jon Feliciano, or Ike Boettger inspires much confidence. Tackles are more important than guards, however, so the Bills still get an overall good grade for their line.
DT – Poor
The Bills roster two former Browns tackles in Brandin Bryant and Justin Zimmer as reserves. The rotation consists of Harrison Phillips, Vernon Butler, and Ed Oliver. Zimmer actually played quite a few snaps in 2020 and performed well, but will need a repeat of that before denoting him a solid player.
Butler has been a disappointment since going 30th overall in 2016, and last season was no different. Phillips is a quality one-tech who will be entering his contract year. Oliver, the ninth overall selection in 2019, had a productive season as a pass-rusher but was routinely dominated in the run game.
EDGE – Good
Jerry Hughes continues to get better with age, as he had another great season at 32 years old. Mario Addison played 2020 at the age of 33, and was solid, if unspectacular as a rusher. Darryl Johnson doesn’t offer much as a backup, but A.J. Epenesa was considered a second-round steal and had a decent rookie campaign.
LB – Decent
Matt Milano just inked a nice four-year extension as one of the league’s better coverage linebackers, but the rest of the room is underwhelming. A.J. Klein has struggled mightily since leaving the Carolina Panthers, and while Tremaine Edmunds is one of the most physically gifted players in the NFL (and is not yet 23 years old as he enters his fourth season), his inconsistency is maddening.
CB – Good
The cornerback room is anchored by Tre’Davious White, one of the best in the business. He’s flanked by Levi Wallace, who has gone from an undrafted free agent in 2018 to a quality starter. Dane Jackson and Siran Neal are capable backups, while Taron Johnson mans the slot. One more solid addition in the draft could push this group into the great tier.
S – Elite
Letting go of Jordan Poyer has turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes of the decade for the Browns, and there were plenty of those to go around.
Poyer immediately became of the league’s best coverage safeties after arriving in Buffalo, and the Bills were able to lock both him and Micah Hyde up long-term for cheap. The duo has been excellent for four seasons now and that should continue in 2021.