The countdown 'til training camp is on.
In two weeks, the Browns will be back in Berea for five weeks of practices, meetings and preparations for the 2021 season — one that's filled with hype following several key additions to the defense and little changes to an offense that thrived in 2020.
We're examining each position on the roster as Day 1 of camp nears and continuing with a position that was one of the best in the NFL last year — and is returning all of their starters for 2021.
The Offensive Line
Centers
JC Tretter
Nick Harris
Javon Patterson
Check out photos of the offensive linemen the Browns will be bringing into training camp
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) and Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on January 3, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 24 -22.
Offensive tackle Greg Senat (67) during practice on September 11, 2020
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns on August 29, 2019 in the preseason at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Center JC Tretter (64) during the third day of minicamp on June 17, 2021.
Blake Hance during a NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 10, 2021 at Heinz Field. The Browns won 48-37.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during the third day of minicamp on June 17, 2021.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during the second day of minicamp on June 16, 2021.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during practice on October 28, 2020
Indianapolis Colts center Javon Patterson (65) runs a drill during practice at the NFL team's football training camp in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during the ninth day of phase three on June 8, 2021.
Offensive tackle Drew Forbes (79) during the sixth day of phase three on June 3, 2021.
Offensive tackle Alex Taylor (60) during the sixth day of phase three on June 3, 2021.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during the ninth day of phase three on June 8, 2021.
Guard Blake Hance (62) during the ninth day of phase three on June 8, 2021.
Center Nick Harris (53) during the sixth day of phase three on June 3, 2021.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during the sixth day of phase three on June 3, 2021.
Offensive tackle Greg Senat (70) during the sixth day of phase three on June 3, 2021.
Offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) during the fourth day of phase three on June 1, 2021.
Offensive guard Cordel Iwuagwu (67) during the fifth day of phase three on June 2, 2021.
Offensive tackle Greg Senat (70) during the fourth day of phase three on June 1, 2021.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) before a NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 10, 2021 at Heinz Field. The Browns won 48-37.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) and Guard Blake Hance during a NFL divisional round playoff football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on January 17, 2021 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 17-22.
Blake Hance during a NFL divisional round playoff football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on January 17, 2021 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 17-22.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) before a NFL divisional round playoff football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on January 17, 2021 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 17-22.
Offensive tackle Alex Taylor (60) during practice on January 8, 2021.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on January 3, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 24 -22.
Center Nick Harris (53) during a NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns on November 1, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 16-6.
Center JC Tretter (64), Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) and Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Center JC Tretter (64) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) after a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on October 25, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns won 37-34.
Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on October 25, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns won 37-34.
Guard Colby Gossett (71) during practice on December 26, 2019.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) and Offensive tackle Alex Taylor (67) during practice on August 30, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Michael Dunn during practice on August 12, 2020
Offensive tackle Drew Forbes (79) during practice on October 30, 2019
Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18, 2020 at Heinz Field. The Browns lost 38-7.
What we know:The Browns built arguably the best offensive line in the NFL last season — and they have an excellent shot of claiming that label again this year. All starters will return for 2021, and they fully expect to improve from the dominance they brought to the offense last season, when they paved the way for the third-best rushing attack in the league and helped quarterback Baker Mayfield become one of the least sacked quarterbacks. The group is led by Bitonio and Tretter, two of the most experienced veterans on the Browns, and received huge boosts in 2020 from Wills, Jack Conklin and a tremendous breakout season from Teller. The starters, however, were collectively healthy for only eight games last season, so the success was also a huge credit to the backups who entered and kept the line strong. Almost all of them are returning, too, so there's an overload of optimism with the Browns that their backfield will be well-protected again.
What we don't know:The only big question worth asking among the starters is about Wills: How much can he improve in his second year? Wills, the 10th overall pick from 2020, did a solid job in his transition from right to left tackle and kept the blindside of Mayfield well-protected for 16 games. The Browns believe Wills has Pro Bowl, if not All-Pro, potential as a left tackle and are confident he can take a big step toward that ceiling this season. Behind the starters, plenty of backup jobs are up for grabs, including at swing tackle, a position left vacant after the departure of Kendall Lamm. Hubbard, Hudson and free-agent acquisition Greg Senat are among the top candidates for the role and will be worth watching in training camp.
The X-Factor: It's hard to pinpoint a singular key player on an offensive line that collectively performed so well last season, but much of that success stemmed from the breakout year of Teller, so we'll insert him in this spot. A second big year from Teller, who was the top-ranked guard from Pro Football Focus, would have massive implications toward strong years from RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, who broke off several big runs last season after Teller mowed through defenders with textbook pull blocks. Teller became a star last season, and the offense would love to have another pancake-filled year from him.
The biggest number: 8. We've covered the importance of this number several times this offseason when discussing the importance of the offensive line, but it's truly astounding that the starters were together for just eight full games last season and still managed to become the best O-Line unit in football. If the group remains healthy and increases that number this year, the offense will undoubtedly be in good hands.
Says it all: "All of us are in the same system for the first time in a long time. In my career, I have only had that a couple of times or maybe once. For me to have the same offense again is big. You have an understanding of the plays and what we want to do, and now, we are just really finetuning things and coming together in that sense." - Bitonio
How many were kept on the initial 53-man roster last year?: 9
