DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum What Now Pt. 2

I've thought about your opinion of signing a OT in free agency so I've taken a look at the potential OT's that may be on the FA market if they aren't re-signed by the deadline. Sadly they look like low hanging fruit. I know the bar isn't that high at making marginal improvement on the OL at some positions, the OT spots being two of them, but I'm not seeing anything out there that says "We need to get that guy".

If the Browns only signed one outside free agent this year, I would want it to be Rasheed Walker. That would allow them to target interior and RT in the draft if Jones isn’t going to be ready to move back over to the right side where he has thrived at times.

I don’t see another free agent that will make as much of an impact.

Browns must avoid NFL free agency pitfall of signing Rasheed Walker

https://brownswire.usatoday.com/sto...ency-pitfall-rasheed-walker/88796979007/

Competiton among NFL teams for OT's is fierce. Rarely is a good one let go. If you look at the top 20 rated LT's all but one of them was re-signed last year.

What you will have are teams competing for the services of a less than average LT at top tier LT prices.

He is ranked 41st in overall pass-block grade (70.0) and his 2025 overall PFF grade was 52nd among 89 tackles.

Those are reasons he made it to the FA market to begin with.

First problem is citing PFF. Many of their attributes that make up their player grades are subjective. One glaring grade that isn’t was pass protection, which he had a 93.7% success rate in 2025, 11th best in the league. He has started every down over the past two seasons on a team that ranks 7th in sacks allowed.

You are also citing an article that suggests they not only spend one pick on a left tackle in the 2026 draft, but 2 of their first 3 picks on a left tackle in a draft that many consider to be a draft without a true left tackle with a future starter grade. Were you a big fan of Jedrick Wills? He was a right tackle that the Browns drafted to play left tackle and it showed horrendously. I’m not 100% against drafting an offensive lineman at #6, this was a really bad offensive line, but don’t draft a left tackle there, because there isn’t one to draft. Expect him to play right tackle and move on.

There are only so many players in the NFL that play the position high enough to not be considered every year as a player that needs to be replaced in order to improve.

I don’t think the Packers are going to let go of Walker easily, and we will have to over pay, but I would rather over pay and give Sanders a fighting chance to grow into this offense. If you hire another open gate at the LT position, he will fail before he ever starts. Walker gives him the best chance to succeed, whether it’s a veteran free agent or draft pick. If Bitonio has a relevant LT, he would play at the level we are used to. He had to do so much to cover up inadequate play, that he looked bad for the first time in his career. Draft some of these interior lineman that look like future starters and one of the RTs that might have to step in if Jones isn’t ready to come back.

That’s my two cents

I never at any point suggested the Browns spend two picks to draft a LT. As for stating that he "started every down for the Packers over the past two seasons and only allowed 7 sacks."

That is a convenient stat yet this past season the Packers gave up 29 sacks. What is painfully obvious is the Packers have even weaker players on their OL which their opponents use to exploit to get sacks.

I see you didn't propose any information, facts or statistics to counter the stats I posted. There's a reason for that. Instead you just shot the messenger. A very popular tactic these days.

We both want to see the LT position improved to help whoever it is playing QB. We just disagree that Walker is the answer to do that.

He didn't say you did. Maybe read again.

Me in particular? Or that I'm promoting the idea through my choice of sources? I mean he the went on to attack the source I was using in reference to PFF


As you would say, I guess since it lacks DNA evidence it must not have happened.

It just leads to the credibility of the sources. It is well known, I’m not making it up that many people don’t like PFF as a source because of the naked eye nature of many of the stats used to come up with their grades. I don’t mind eye of the beholder to give there opinions on someone, but just to see a grade based off of those observations loses a little credibility. Breaking down those thoughts are one thing, but give them a rating is quite another.

I also didn’t say he gave up 7 sacks over two years, I said he started every game on a team that RANKED 7th in the NFL in sacks allowed. These are tangible numbers. He stays healthy and his line as a whole performed very well. He personally ranked 11th in pass protection, sacks allowed and pressures allowed. These are tangible numbers that EVERY news source tracks, not formulas made up of personal opinions at PFF.

Regardless, you are right, we both see the need to take a major leap in improving the position. I gave the best option that is actually available to us, unless his home team steps up and keeps him prior to free agency. You cited an article that suggests we don’t get a veteran, but rather draft two rookies in the first two rounds, that has a class that is cited as being very weak at the left tackle position.

It’s my opinion, the veteran who has proven it the past two years is a better option than two guys who have never even practiced at the NfL and their skill sets historically show they will be better off at the right side or on the interior.

You do realize 29 sacks allowed is very low, right?

The Browns gave up 51.

I’m not sure how we got to arguing over the Packers O-line, other than their left tackle is strongly considered the best left tackle available in free agency.


If you don’t agree with the article you cited, what would your path to improving the left tackle position be specifically? What player would you like to see in the roster to protect these young QBs to promote their growth?

Many people don't but most people consider it the #1 source for such information and I'm not making that up either.

You are basing your opinion on the fact of their overall OL play not his play in and of itself. He is ranked 41st in overall pass-block grade (70.0) and his 2025 overall PFF grade was 52nd among 89 tackles.

Those are his individual grades not "Well he played on good OL" stat.

You can take from that what you like. But as I said, we're both after the same outcome we just disagree on how to get there.

You still haven’t told me your plan. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, but I did ask. We do not have the personnel on the roster, not even a developmental guy that we could put hope into that this is the year for him to shine. Who would your suggestion be to make a marked improvement? I would argue getting a large improvement at LT is even more important than improving the WR room, but not at the expense of passing on talent in the draft to take a less talented body to put at the hole left by Joe Thomas.