Greg Robinson stepped in as the starting left tackle position midway through the season and provided the Cleveland Browns with competent play
Greg Robinson was not the starting left tackle for the Cleveland Browns when the season began. That job belonged to undrafted rookie Desmond Harrison. After eight games with mixed results and a coaching change, Harrison went to the bench and was replaced by Robinson.
Robinson is a journeyman of sorts. Once a high pick in the draft, Robinson has mostly disappointed in multiple stops in his career. Playing for three teams in five years, Robinson has struggled mightily for every team he played for. Except the Cleveland Browns. Robinson actually was somewhat successful. Robinson’s somewhat successful campaign is actually a bright spot in his career.
Now, Robinson is not an elite left tackle by any means. Above average is still a stretch. Pro Football Focus ranks Robinson as the 63rd overall tackle with a grade of average. To compare, Harrison ranks 67th with a grade of average.
Harrison’s rookie season was a disappointment. While he is still considered raw, a raw left tackle at the age of 25 is not a good combination. In fact it is not desirable at all. Many of the flaws Harrison displayed in college rang true in his eight games as a professional. While powerful, Harrison is technically flawed. Harrison’s shortcomings hindered the Cleveland Browns offense throughout his eight starts.
Once Robinson came in to start the offensive line was no longer an obvious liability. The line actually performed as one of the better units in the league over the final eight games of the season. Without a doubt credit belongs to the coaching staff, but Robinson also deserves some credit. Ridiculous penalties which Harrison seemed to commit every week were no longer present.
Cleveland may want to re-sign Greg Robinson for stability purposes
Stability has not been synonymous with the Cleveland Browns since 1999. Maintaining stability should be a primary objective for Cleveland to help build upon the success of the last eight weeks of 2018. Re-signing Greg Robinson can help maintain stability. Even on a one-year deal signing Robinson would be beneficial.
Greg Robinson is not likely the franchise left tackle the Browns seek. At best he may just be a stopgap until they can find their longterm solution to the position. Robinson is not the best left tackle in the league, but he is head and shoulders better than a lot of options out there.
Cleveland cannot go into next season with the same gameplan in regards to the left tackle position. Starting Desmond Harrison or a player similar to Harrison would be a bad idea. The team cannot hope to luck into another player such as Robinson. Instead of hoping for the best with lesser options, it is better to keep Robinson around for the time being.
