The 2024 Browns are virtually a clone of last year’s all-time blackest team. Four White starters on the offensive line, and none anywhere else on the roster other than a lonely back-up guard and of course kicker and long snapper. Even the punter is non-White.
The quarterbacks are all Black, the tight ends are White-free as is the entire defense two deep. Even the practice squad is entirely Black except for a tight end, the appropriately named Blake Whiteheart.
The Brownies have Joel Bitonio starting at left guard, Ethan Pocic at center, Wyatt Teller at right guard, and Jack Conklin at right tackle. Conklin is one of the very best but missed the 2023 season with a knee injury and was inactive for the season opener last week so it was just the three interior linemen playing.
Their job is to protect Deshaun Watson, the biggest bust in NFL history when considering Cleveland signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year $230 million contract, even though Watson had been outed as a sexual predator. When not injured, Watson has been a shell of what he was for a few years with Houston. This year’s regular season opener made it obvious that he’s not going to be turning it around. Some believe he’s just mailing it in until the organization gets rid of him and eats his contract.
It couldn’t happen to a more deserving organization. Instead of learning from the Watson debacle, the Browns continue to sign malcontents such as first round bust Kadarius Toney, who on the rare occasions when he isn’t injured can be counted on to make costly drops and bonehead mistakes on the field while throwing temper tantrums off it.
The Browns continue to be on the cutting edge of the league’s growing contingent of ultra-black teams, and also look to be headed toward their usual bottom feeding status after playing well last year with an admittedly good defense and Joe Flacco igniting the offense. Flacco of course was quickly discarded after the season. But when ultra-black teams succeed, a not common occurrence, it’s usually more like lightning in a bottle rather than sustained excellence and it’s difficult to see Cleveland being any different. The Browns, especially their GM Andrew Berry, may envision themselves as the NFL’s version of the Harlem Globetrotters but it’s more likely their play will soon once again resemble the Washington Generals.
LG: Joel Bitonio
C: Ethan Pocic
RG: Wyatt Teller, Zak Zinter
RT: Jack Conklin
PK: Dustin Hopkins
LS: Charley Hughlett
Practice Squad: TE Blake Whiteheart. Center Luke Wypler is on IR.
Number of White Starters: 4
Total Number of Whites on the 53 man roster: 7
Grade: F--
The quarterbacks are all Black, the tight ends are White-free as is the entire defense two deep. Even the practice squad is entirely Black except for a tight end, the appropriately named Blake Whiteheart.
The Brownies have Joel Bitonio starting at left guard, Ethan Pocic at center, Wyatt Teller at right guard, and Jack Conklin at right tackle. Conklin is one of the very best but missed the 2023 season with a knee injury and was inactive for the season opener last week so it was just the three interior linemen playing.
Their job is to protect Deshaun Watson, the biggest bust in NFL history when considering Cleveland signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year $230 million contract, even though Watson had been outed as a sexual predator. When not injured, Watson has been a shell of what he was for a few years with Houston. This year’s regular season opener made it obvious that he’s not going to be turning it around. Some believe he’s just mailing it in until the organization gets rid of him and eats his contract.
It couldn’t happen to a more deserving organization. Instead of learning from the Watson debacle, the Browns continue to sign malcontents such as first round bust Kadarius Toney, who on the rare occasions when he isn’t injured can be counted on to make costly drops and bonehead mistakes on the field while throwing temper tantrums off it.
The Browns continue to be on the cutting edge of the league’s growing contingent of ultra-black teams, and also look to be headed toward their usual bottom feeding status after playing well last year with an admittedly good defense and Joe Flacco igniting the offense. Flacco of course was quickly discarded after the season. But when ultra-black teams succeed, a not common occurrence, it’s usually more like lightning in a bottle rather than sustained excellence and it’s difficult to see Cleveland being any different. The Browns, especially their GM Andrew Berry, may envision themselves as the NFL’s version of the Harlem Globetrotters but it’s more likely their play will soon once again resemble the Washington Generals.
LG: Joel Bitonio
C: Ethan Pocic
RG: Wyatt Teller, Zak Zinter
RT: Jack Conklin
PK: Dustin Hopkins
LS: Charley Hughlett
Practice Squad: TE Blake Whiteheart. Center Luke Wypler is on IR.
Number of White Starters: 4
Total Number of Whites on the 53 man roster: 7
Grade: F--
