I just hope that the Browns can sign Mack before training camp begins. If Mack misses any practices, then he will really have to work hard to become the starter.

dawgscooper.blogspot.com

Didn't St. Clair allow more sacks than Shaffer?

We will be solid as long as Tucker can stay healthy for once to anchor the right.

And seriously Don.......you couldn't have said it was a Buccaneers fan or something? You really had to make a Squeelers fan look intelligent? Like there aren't any front running Squeelers fans? Come on. Screw them.

While I agree that the offensive line will likely be our best unit (unless we count our kick-off return team), that still isn't saying a whole lot. While everyone keeps touting our new found depth with Womack and St. Clair, we have to remember that neither were that good the last two seasons and their own teams didn't even want to retain them.

This is my fear - that we're putting way too much stock into the fact that our offensive andd defensive lines are deep, when we should be focusing on the fact that that depth doesn't really equate to 'good.'

To praise and/or hype up Womack and St. Clair would be like the Bengals hyping up Rex Hadnot. We'd sit back in our cozy chairs in Cleveland and snicker at the Bengals for loving their new guard Hadnot, just like Bears and Seahawks fans, respectively, snicker at us for touting St. Clair and Womack. I just don't think we should be surprised if they don't carry their weight (pun intended) this year.

And finally, while I agree that it's about time we had a coach want to pound our running game, this just isn't the division in which to do it. I'd much rather spread the field against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and even now Cincy, than have to run the ball against Harrison, Foote, Woodley, Suggs, Reed, etc.

Sorry to be a downer...

While I agree that the offensive line will likely be our best unit (unless we count our kick-off return team), that still isn't saying a whole lot. While everyone keeps touting our new found depth with Womack and St. Clair, we have to remember that neither were that good the last two seasons and their own teams didn't even want to retain them.

This is my fear - that we're putting way too much stock into the fact that our offensive andd defensive lines are deep, when we should be focusing on the fact that that depth doesn't really equate to 'good.'

To praise and/or hype up Womack and St. Clair would be like the Bengals hyping up Rex Hadnot. We'd sit back in our cozy chairs in Cleveland and snicker at the Bengals for loving their new guard Hadnot, just like Bears and Seahawks fans, respectively, snicker at us for touting St. Clair and Womack. I just don't think we should be surprised if they don't carry their weight (pun intended) this year.

And finally, while I agree that it's about time we had a coach want to pound our running game, this just isn't the division in which to do it. I'd much rather spread the field against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and even now Cincy, than have to run the ball against Harrison, Foote, Woodley, Suggs, Reed, etc.

Sorry to be a downer...

@ Matt
You aren't being a downer....the Browns are the downer. That is just how we are programmed at this point. I think Brandon is right, the fate of us being a top 5 line and being just above average is Tucker staying healthy, which doesn't happen often.

Mack signing is a big deal as well, if he doesn't sign before camp I find it hard to believe that he will be the starter and we need him to be.

Matt,
I see where you are coming from. You look at names and figure names equates to success. Along the O-line that is simply not the case.

The NYGiants have virtually no names, outside of Chris Snee, and yet they are considered one of the best units in the league. It's how they work together and how they gel as a unit that will determine their success. Obviously, the more talent, the better, but NO offensive line in the NFL has studs throughout.

We have our anchors, the guys who can help everyone else out, in Thomas and hopefully Mack. Then we have another high-end talent guy in Steinbach. That's 3 very good players talent-wise and that's more than most good offensive lines in the NFL. The other two just have to fill a role and mesh well with our 'name guys'. I believe they will be fine, so long as Mangini and Co. know how to evaluate talent better than Romeo and Co. did.

Kind of funny, but it is nearly impossible for the Browns to have a fair weather fan.