Who Should Be The Cleveland Browns’ Starting Right Guard?

The Browns loaded up on offensive talent this offseason. With their roster stocked with 90 players, the maximum NFL allowance, nine of the Browns’ 11 projected offensive starters have either been named to a Pro Bowl (Jarvis Landry, Austin Hooper, Nick Chubb), an All-Pro team (Odell Beckham Jr., Jack Conklin, Joel Bitonio) or drafted in the first two rounds (Baker Mayfield, Jedrick Wills).

JC Tretter, who fits neither category, signed a three-year extension last November. In short, they’re secure at almost every position. Almost.

The lone remaining uncertainty is at right guard. The candidates include a hodgepodge of unproven players, none of which have started more than nine NFL games at the position. Here’s the case for each one.

1. Wyatt Teller 

As the incumbent starter, Teller is probably the default favorite to start Week 1 in Baltimore. He started the final nine games of last season, and the lack of offseason reps will hurt any newcomer’s chance to leapfrog him on the depth chart. 

On the other hand, both general manager Andrew Berry and offensive line coach Bill Callahan have recently alluded to a right guard competition. Berry said he expected “good competition” at right guard in his post-draft zoom call on April 25. Callahan called the starting spot “up for grabs” on May 14. 

The John Dorsey-led Browns thought enough of Teller to part with a fifth- and sixth-round pick for him. The new regime wants him to earn his starting spot. 

2. Drew Forbes 

Forbes didn’t play a single offensive snap last year, but the second-year player from Southeast Missouri State wasn’t expected to contribute right away, A sixth-round pick, Forbes was always viewed as a project who would take time to develop. 

This offseason would be the perfect opportunity to demonstrate some of that development. It’s uncertain whether Forbes will have many chances to impress his new coaching staff, but the fact that the Browns are keeping him around suggests they want to see him try. 

3. Chris Hubbard 

The Browns once believed Hubbard could be their starting right tackle. They gave him $18 million guaranteed to prove it in 2018. 

Two years later, the Browns have replaced Hubbard with Jack Conklin. Hubbard re-structured his contract to stay in Cleveland this offseason, presumably as a swing tackle.

But why not try him at guard? It’s the natural progression for a struggling tackle, the Browns have a need, and there’s a history of players succeeding after making the switch.

Most recently, left guard Ereck Flowers earned a three-year, $30 million contract with the Dolphins after the Giants declined his fifth-year option. Flowers struggled for four seasons as the Giants’ left tackle but found success last season at left guard. 

4. Nick Harris 

After the Browns drafted Harris, who played both center and guard at Washington, with their fifth-round pick, Berry said Harris’ skillset is best suited at center. But as mentioned with Hubbard, that shouldn’t preclude him from competing at right guard. 

Berry said as much after the draft, part of his “good competition” comment, and almost every offensive line coach says they want the best five blockers starting, regardless of position. 

So that gives Harris a chance to start right away. Barring an injury to Tretter or Joel Bitonio, playing right guard is Harris’ best path to immediate playing time. 

5. Flyer pick-ups/outside additions

If the Browns are underwhelmed by the players on this list, they still have $39 million in cap space to use on a free agent or for trade flexibility. The top free-agent candidate would be Larry Warford, whom the Saints cut this offseason to save money and make room for Cesar Ruiz, their 2020 first-round pick. Warford made his third consecutive Pro Bowl at right guard in 2019.

Long-shot on-roster candidates include undrafted rookie center Willie Wright and second-year guard Colby Gossett, both of whom Callahan said would compete for the job on last week’s zoom call. 

Wright was a four-year college starter at right tackle for Tulsa. The Browns list him as a center, but if Callahan said he’ll compete, he’ll compete. 

After starting 46 consecutive games at Appalachian State the Vikings drafted Gossett in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. The Browns will be the third team he’s played on since.