After cutting veteran J.C. Tretter, the Browns were prepared to move on to Nick Harris as their starting center in 2022. The latter suffered what is expected to be a season-ending knee injury during the team’s first preseason game, however, leaving the position in question once again.
For now, the Browns are turning to Ethan Pocic. The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Browns in March to compete with Harris for the starting job at center, or at least provide experienced depth behind him. The former Seahawk started 40 of the 57 games he appeared in with Seattle, and could be an effective stop-gap option in the middle of the Browns’ highly-touted o-line in Harris’ absence.
If the team were to add a free agent option, though, the obvious candidate for a deal is Tretter. The 31-year-old was released in a cost-cutting move, saving the Browns over $8M in cap space. The move ended a five-year run for Tretter as the team’s full-time pivot, during which time he missed just one game. With a PFF grade over 78 last season, the Cornell alum showed that he is still capable of playing at a high level.
Tretter’s status of president of the NFLPA, however, could be a factor in why he has still yet to sign in free agency this late into the summer. As Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal notes, Tretter’s position in the union (which he has held since 2020) “often led to differences of opinion between he and management.” Despite Cleveland leading the league in cap space, then, a contract bringing him back might not be likely.
When asked about Tretter, longtime teammate and All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio said:
“I don’t hear those conversations all the time, but I think when you have a guy that’s a top-five, top-10 center in the league, and he’s not on a roster and he’s the NFLPA president, maybe some of the owners don’t appreciate what he brings to the table on certain topics where he’s trying to protect player safety and things of that nature.”
The Browns’ aggression in adding another center – and whether or not their search includes a reunion with Tretter – will be worth watching as the offseason winds down.
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