Browns quarterback Joe Flacco lost his starting job earlier this week for a variety of reasons, some of them his own fault and some through the fault of others, such as his offensive linemen, who did a poor job of pass blocking for him.
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It got to the point that he couldn’t concentrate fully on looking for receivers downfield because he had to keep one eye on rushers, lest he get crushed, sometimes even he was still holding the ball. It’s akin to texting while driving. It’s dangerous. You can safely focus on only one thing at a time.
So, then, as the Browns get ready to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday morning in London, the team’s rebuild overall will include an overall line rebuild. In fact, other than finding a franchise quarterback, provuring good offensive linemen is already their top priority for 2026, in both the NFL Draft and free agency. Nothing else is even close. The Browns could have three or possibly even four new starters next season. And it would not be a surprise if it turned out to be five.
Flacco never had much mobility, even during his prime with the Baltimore Ravens, and now, all these years later as he keeps fending off the pass rush of Father Time to remain in the game when most quarterbacks his age have long since retired, it is obviously much worse. Rookie Dillon Gabriel, his replacement, is much quicker on his feet and tremendously more elusive, but he will also have to be wary of the leaky protection, right from the get-go on Sunday, for the edge rushers on the sack-happy Vikings will have a decided edge on the Browns in more ways than one.
Steve King
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