Cleveland Browns: John Greco’s Future in Flux
By Peter Smith
With the hire of Hue Jackson as Cleveland Browns head coach, there are going to be some major philosophical changes in how the team plays.
Some of those changes are not apparent yet, but everything suggests a substantial emphasis on gap scheme blocking. That being the case, the future of John Greco in a Cleveland Browns uniform appears doubtful.
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Two years ago, Greco had his best season as a Brown under Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator. Shanahan’s zone scheme was a perfect fit for the skills that Greco brought to the table and the Browns excelled in the running game until Alex Mack suffered a broken fibula. Greco had a legitimately great year.
This past year, when John DeFilippo introduced more gap scheme elements to the offense, Greco was not as effective. Certainly, Greco was adequate for the task, but it was clear he was somewhat miscast for the role. Adequate, sure, but not all that good.
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Zone scheme blocking is more reliant on guys who can win with body position, athleticism and sealing off angles whereas gap scheme blocking is more about brute force and being able to hold up in tighter quarters.
Jackson’s history has been a guy who loves to use gap scheme blocking and bully opponents up front. Greco is not going to embarrass himself, but it is difficult to imagine he will excel.
Jackson could see Greco’s versatility and value as a backup and keep him on the roster. Greco can legitimately play all 3 interior line spots and as shown in 2014, that is important.
The cost is nothing. When Greco signed his contract extension through 2017, his contract was frontloaded and in each of 2016 and 2017 Greco makes under $1 million per year. Financially speaking, Greco is a worthwhile commodity.
The Browns are so good with the cap, however, the money may not mean nearly as much as the roster spot does. It is increasingly apparent that NFL teams cannot get enough talented offensive lineman bodies on their roster and some teams, smartly, hoard them.
The Browns have a number of needs to address and they have to pick their spots on in some respects. If they opt to attack the trenches, they may well release Greco to add youth to develop on the offensive line.
If they want to attack some of the other issues on the team, which could include quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, linebacker, and safety, Greco might be a Godsend and someone that Jackson and the Browns are happy they can rely on to take up a roster spot.
From Greco’s point of view, he might be ready to leave Cleveland. As much as he is a hometown guy, being from Ravenna, attending Boardman High School in Youngstown, going to the University of Toledo, and now playing for the Browns, it makes financial sense for him to want out of his contract.
With two years and less than a million in each year of his contract and being 30 now, he might have one chance at a nice contract before the end of his career. For teams that run more of a zone scheme running game, which could include the Atlanta Falcons (where Kyle Shanahan is now); Greco could warrant a lucrative short term contract, where he would make more money than he did in his entire career in Cleveland.
Greco has been a valuable asset for the Browns and the fact that he was acquired for the price of a conditional 7th round pick in 2012, he has outplayed the price to obtain him and far outplayed his contract. As much as he might want to stay in Cleveland because of his ties to the area and the relationships with his teammate, from a business standpoint, leaving could be his best play.
Whether Greco stays or goes, the right guard position would stand out as a hole on the Browns offense. Combining that with Alex Mack’s looming decision on his own contract, it is not a small issue. This is all assuming the Browns aren’t stupid enough to let Mitchell Schwartz get away in free agency.
Obviously, the Browns drafted Cameron Erving last year and they have to hope he can start at center if Mack opts to go elsewhere. It would go a long way in helping Erving in that transition if he has Joel Bitonio flanking his left but also has a talented player on his right.
The Browns did add Austin Pasztor last year and he is more suited to gap scheme blocking. After both Bitonio and Greco ended up on injured reserve, Pasztor did a nice job at left guard as a fill in starter. Certainly not to the level of Bitonio, but he was effective as a puller, acting as the lead blocker, pulling to the right on power calls, which sprung Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson to a few big runs at the end of last year. Pasztor might be more suited to be a backup, but he gives them another option at right guard.
The good news is the 2016 NFL Draft appears to have a number of talented options that could fit the Browns needs at guard in addition to having talented options at center if the Browns choose to add depth there.
Here are a couple of PAC-12 prospects that will be attending the Senior Bowl in a few weeks (where I will be seeing them play live):
Christian Westerman, LG Arizona State – Westerman has good balance, stays over his feet effectively, is efficient with movements, and has shown capable in pass and run blocking. And one of the things that stands out about Westerman is how he thrives on physicality and contact, finishes opponents with an attitude and is always looking for someone else to block, playing through to the echo of the whistle.
Josh Garnett, LG Stanford – More prototypical in terms of size, Garnett has been a powerful run blocker for the Cardinal. The big question with all Stanford offensive linemen is adjusting to the change in splits from their offense to the NFL, but the ones that can make the transition effectively, have paid off in a big way.
Joe Dahl, LT Washington State – Dahl played left tackle in Pullman but his slow feet and ability to punch and play with quick hands may allow him to thrive at guard. He really showcased what he brings to the table and how hard he competes when he had a great game against Oregon’s DeForest Buckner, who some think could be a top 10 pick in April. The offense did not allow him to showcase it much but he is a nasty run blocker.
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The Browns certainly have options, both with how they want to address the right guard spot as well as John Greco. Ultimately, it is really unlikely that he is the solution for that position and whether they go with someone like Pasztor or use the draft or free agency to bring in more help, someone else is likely to start there on opening day for the 2016 season. Greco has been a fine player for the Browns in the time he’s been here but it would not be a huge surprise if he was ultimately let go this offseason.