Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry believes that there is not much of a difference between left tackle and right tackle.
Everyone knows that the Cleveland Browns need another tackle. The team signed Jack Conklin to anchor one tackle position. The team still needs another tackle and it is assumed that if will be a left tackle. Browns general manager Andrew Berry downplayed the difference between the tackle positions on a conference call Friday morning.
“Honestly, I think the distinction between left and right tackle is really outdated,”
Berry would continue.
“We are no longer in the days of football where teams will have their best rusher and line him up on the defensive right side and offensive left side of the formation. Really, the game is not played that way.“
Berry would later say that “tackles are tackles”. There is a lot of truth to that statement. Of course there are adjustments from switching from right to left, but it is not impossible.
Former NFL guard Geoff Schwartz agreed with the “tackles are tackles” stance from Berry.
It really comes down to whether or not the tackle can play in the offensive system. Some lineman are just bad fits for certain systems and will not work on either side of the line. Others are more interchangeable and can adapt to the blocking scheme utilized in that particular offense.
Berry did mention that both Chris Hubbard and Kendall Lamm have experience at left tackle. In all honesty they need to look at other options to fill the other tackle spot. Hubbard and Lamm may be able to be backup/depth pieces, but neither player should be considered a lock to start at this point in time. It would be wise for the Browns to draft a tackle high in the draft. The only question is whether or not it is with the 10th overall pick or they wait until Round 2.
