BEREA, Ohio — Maybe the sixth time’s the charm for the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line?
The Browns’ left tackle plans remain in flux heading into Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
So far this season, there’s been upheaval along the line in Cleveland — the Browns have started different O-line combinations (namely different tackle combinations) in each of their five games so far this season due to injuries to both Dawand Jones and Jack Conklin.
While Conklin returned to the lineup last week, his first start since Week 1, Jones suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 against the Packers after beginning the year as the starting left tackle.
And now, Cleveland could be headed for its sixth different starting O-line combination against Pittsburgh if Cleveland opts to try and start veteran Cam Robinson on the left side.
For now, the Browns are staying mum on what the exact plans are.
“Yeah, we’ll work through all those types of things the next couple days,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday.
The Browns acquired Robinson last week in a trade with the Texans. The nine-year vet was originally selected by Jacksonville in the second round in 2017, and has appeared in 104 career games with 102 starts with the Jaguars (2017-24), Vikings (2024) and Texans (2025).
Robinson, who was a healthy scratch in Week 4 when he was still with Houston, said on Wednesday that he wasn’t surprised by the trade and welcomes the opportunity with the Browns.
“I’m just appreciative,” he said. “Appreciative of them giving me an opportunity to come in and play.”
The Browns threw Robinson into the fire in last week’s London loss to the Vikings. He played seven total snaps, all in the third series. He was whistled for two of Cleveland’s 10 penalties on that drive, but allowed no pressures, according to Pro Football Focus tracking data.
The other 63 snaps at the position on Sunday went to KT Leveston, a second-year pro whom Cleveland traded for in August.
Leveston struggled, however, allowing five total pressures, one sack, and being whistled for three penalties of his own. He’s appeared in the prior for games for Cleveland, and according to PFF data, has allowed 13 total pressures and three sacks.
It stands to reason then, that a full week in Cleveland’s system could lead to more snaps for Robinson.
“Football is football,” he said. “That’s what I always tell people. Football is football. It’s just the language. You just got to learn the language. Different places use different language, and that’s pretty much how it is. But I mean, it’s football, it’s only so much you can do, honestly.”
Against the Steelers, Cleveland can use all the experience it can get, facing a front in T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cam Heyward and Nick Herbig that can both pressure the quarterback and bat down passes (certainly a stat to watch for as 5-11 rookie Dillon Gabriel makes his second start). Their defense already has seven batted balls this season through four games.
While Watt typically lines up against the opposing right tackle, Pittsburgh will still move him around and do some occasional matchup hunting. Since Gabriel is left-handed, the right side is also actually his blind side.
This season, Watt is leading the Steelers with three sacks through their first four games.
Considering he’s spent the vast majority of his career in the AFC, Robinson has seen this Steelers front before — three times in the regular season and once in the 2018 AFC Divisional Round.
“Yeah, obviously they got some good players,” Robinson said. “I’ve played them a lot, so I mean, I feel like I got good experience versus that front and good players. We got to make sure we’re prepared.”
Another option on the left side could be veteran Cornelius Lucas, who was a healthy scratch against the Vikings.
He replaced Jack Conklin, who suffered an eye injury in a Week 1 loss to the Bengals and then started in Weeks 2 through 4, twice at right tackle and once at left.
Per PFF, Lucas has allowed 28 total pressures and two sacks in his 181 snaps.
“Watt is still doing his thing, rushing the passer,” Lucas said. “51 (Highsmith) is looking really good coming off the edge. The interior guys, they’re really good too, good size.
“It’s going to be a good challenge for us to make sure that we play through the whistle, make sure we strain and finish for our running backs to get through those holes and make sure that we are inside out and fighting and pass through.”
No matter who starts, it will just be the next step in the Browns searching for a left tackle answer for this year.
The Browns’ left tackle carousel keeps spinning, and for now, they can only hope the next turn finally brings some balance.
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