Cleveland’s plan to replace the sitting NFLPA president will feature two main characters.
The Browns announced the signing of veteran center Ethan Pocic on Wednesday.
Pocic moves to Cleveland after five seasons spent in Seattle, where the Seahawks spent a second-round selection on the All-American from LSU with the hopes of solidifying the center position. He appeared in 57 games (40 starts) in five seasons, but never quite became the player the Seahawks were seeking until the franchise had all but moved on.
After the expiration of his rookie deal, Pocic re-signed with Seattle in 2021 on a one-year, prove-it contract. He compiled his best season of his career, per Pro Football Focus, earning the highest offensive grade (67.3) of his five NFL seasons. It was a mark heavily dependent on his production in the ground attack, while he continued to be average at best in pass protection.
Pocic’s skill set might fit well in Cleveland, where the Browns have built an offense around a wide-zone scheme with an agile offensive line directed by renowned assistant Bill Callahan. He’ll have to battle with third-year center Nick Harris, a former Day 3 pick of the Browns who played adequately as a guard when Cleveland dealt with multiple losses along the offensive line late in the 2020 season.
With Cleveland releasing JC Tretter and signing Pocic, the competition for the starting center job has officially begun. The silver lining for the Browns: both should be able to serve as solid guards, too.