The Cleveland Browns may have too many talented players. A great problem to have but it calls a lot of players’ futures into question including Michael Dunn.
Dunn, as Browns fans will likely remember for a long time, came on to start at left guard for the team in their return to the playoffs. With Joel Bitonio out due to contact tracing related to COVID-19 and both Chris Hubbard and Nick Harris out due to injury, the Browns turned to Dunn.
An undrafted free agent in 2017, Dunn didn’t get a chance to play a regular-season snap until last season. Stepping in for the biggest game in recent Cleveland football history, Dunn did more than hold his own. Instead, Dunn was often able to handle whatever the Pittsburgh Steelers threw at him including Cameron Heyward:
In the end, Pro Football Focus gave Dunn high marks for his impressive work against a very good defensive front seven and after getting very little practice time over the past few weeks. PFF ranked Dunn fourth in run blocking among guards in the wild card round of the playoffs.
An injury knocked him out of the game and gave a chance for “some guy named Blake (Hance)” to show he could play as well.
Now, with training camp about to open up around the league, the Browns get a chance to see what Dunn can do for a follow-up. Unfortunately for Dunn, there isn’t a starting spot on the offensive line and he, likely, will have to compete for a roster spot.
As currently constructed, Jedrick Wills, Bitonio, J.C. Tretter, Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin will start. Harris returns from injury while Hubbard may not be available right away. Hance showed he could hold his own and will compete for a roster spot.
Drew Forbes returns from the COVID-19 opt-out list. Forbes was a player that Cleveland had high hopes for in the zone running scheme implemented in 2020 but his opt-out opened doors for others.
At tackle, besides the starters and Hubbard, the Browns have added a few names as well. Greg Senat was brought over in free agency while James Hudson III was drafted in the fourth round. Those three could also move inside to guard if needed while big (6’8″) Alex Taylor is an interesting blend of size and speed.
Not including Hubbard (whose recovery from a late-season knee injury is still a bit of an unknown), Cleveland has double-digit offensive linemen fighting for roster spots. Harris and Hudson are likely secure in their spots due to being drafted in the last two years.
If Hubbard is healthy, he likely secures the eighth spot.
Last year, the Browns started the season with nine linemen on the opening 53 man roster. If that number stays constant, and Hubbard isn’t available, Cleveland has two spots open after their starting five and backups Harris and Hudson.
Dunn’s play in the playoffs is a sign that he could easily take one of those spots but Hance, Senat, Taylor and Forbes all have positives as well. On the other hand, none of those five have proven anything over the span of an entire year.
Did Dunn do enough on the practice squad and his great playoff game to give him a leg up on the competition? Could the Browns leverage his play on such a big stage into a trade to add talent at a different position or more draft capital?
Having too much talent is a great problem to have. Dunn proved in the playoffs that he has the talent to make Cleveland’s 53 man roster but was it enough?