BEREA, Ohio — Todd Monken would love for his offense to be as flashy as a brand-new luxury car. Think top-down, glossy finish, big shiny rims, but in the form of speedy pass-catchers, unyielding running backs, and explosive tight ends that can fight for extra yards after contact. But in the way that none of the swanky specs of a nice car matter if it doesn't run, that's how Monken sees his offense without a well-run front.
“Well, it starts up front. I know our defense, and it’s the same on offense; they’re the engine. They’re the ones that make it go. It’s what’s under the hood. Everything on the outside is shiny, but if you don’t have the right engine, you’re not going to go fast. And so, they’re the start of it. Protection beats coverage, and our ability to control the game starts with being able to run the football. So, I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen," Monken said.
Hence, the Browns have revamped the entire offensive line.
This offseason, the Browns added veteran center Elgton Jenkins, as well as tackle Tytus Howard and guard Zion Johnson to the roster. They also drafted a player they hope to be their stalwart left tackle, Spencer Fano, with the No. 9 overall pick, and a versatile lineman, Austin Barber, in the third round.
As the Browns approach the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13, they're working out the final decisions along the O-line.
Fano is set to start at left tackle, while Zion Johnson has been locked in at left guard and Elgton Jenkins has been working as the starting center. But on the right side of the line, there's been some shifting around. Tytus Howard has been working as the starting right tackle, but at right guard, there's been a rotation of KT Leveston, Teven Jenkins, and, for the last three weeks, Barber.
Barber has been asked to play a position a little out of his comfort zone, but one he seems to be thriving in.
"The transition has been good. Coach [George] Warhop and all the coaches have been helping me out a lot with that. They know I haven't really done it much. I've played tackle my whole career at Florida. There's some things you've got to work out, but at the end of the day, you're playing offensive line. They're really good coaches, and I got really good vets in the room that have been helping me out a lot," Barber said.
Barber has been working on the adjustments needed to play on the interior of the line, which includes combating the big-bodied defensive tackles across from him.
"The guys are bigger. There's just a lot of things you got to see. You got to see a lot more in there, I think. And it's just the ability to—at tackle, you're on an island, like you said, and you're going against guys that run 4.5s, 4.6s on the edge. They're a little bit bigger inside," Barber said.
Monken said before Saturday's practice that Jenkins had an edge for the starting right tackle gig, but that Barber wasn't ruled out of the mix.
“I love our depth there. Again, I think Teven has the advantage, obviously, as the veteran player, but we still have this week; we still have today and a few practices to really finalize. I’d give Teven the lean, but I don’t think it’s done yet," he said.
On Tuesday, Jenkins was not on the practice fields during the portion open to the media. That may have opened up an opportunity for Barber to get work with the ones at right guard.
Barber has been leaning on the veterans around him all summer for that moment, looking to develop quickly as he prepares for his first NFL season.
"You lean on those guys because they've been in it. They've been in the war, they've been in the fight. So you just take as many things from them as you can. You take nuggets from them that they've learned from their experiences," Barber said. "It's just how to be a pro. You know what I mean? Just how to handle your business, how to work, how to do stuff after practice, take care of your body. Those are some of the things that they've been telling me."
Whether Barber does end up getting the start for Week 1 or if they stay the course with the veteran and start Jenkins will be determined in the next few days. But no matter who is in the starting five up front, the entire room knows they need to be ready to step in and step up at any point in the season.
The Browns have a flashy receivers room with rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. They have a striking running backs group with Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson entering Year 2. A sharp tight ends group featuring Harold Fannin Jr. and rookie Carsen Ryan looks to expand the offense. The Browns hope they can get good quarterback play with Deshaun Watson starting and Shedeur Sanders and Taylen Green staying ready behind him.
But, as Monken said, all of those pieces only become impressive if the offensive line can generate success to start.
"They can’t do it on their own. You can’t control the game if you’re not good up front. You can’t. You can’t throw it when you want to throw it, and you can’t run it when you want to run it. So, it always starts up front, and our ability to be physical up front and then let the shiny part of our offense go to work," Monken said. "Without that, the engine, it just sits in the driveway looking shiny as hell. The hood’s up and the engine isn’t working the way you want it. That’s just the way it is. They’ve got to be driving it, and the rest of it looks pretty driving down the street with the top down and the windows down, and, hell, you’re really rolling.”
