Ethan Pocic has made a smooth transition as a starter on the Browns’ offensive line and has worked well with the array of pull blocks and blocking moves required with the offense, according to offensive line coach Bill Callahan.
“He came in here, and our system is a little bit different in the way that we teach it and the technique that we use, but he transitioned well,” Callahan said. “His ability to absorb these techniques and then come out and start to execute them, that was real progress.”
Pro Football Focus has given Pocic a 74.1 blocking grade for the season with grades of 67.6 in pass blocking and 72.8 in run blocking.
The run blocks for Pocic often include pulling, which means moving beyond his initial position at the line of scrimmage and running upfield to clear defenders out of his designated zone for RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. His contributions have helped the Browns boast the league’s top run game through five weeks.
Pocic said he’s used the maneuver more with the Browns this year than at any other point of his six-year career.
“It’s definitely something fun we get to do, just going out in space,” he said. “You just have to be an athlete. You need to use your athleticism and trust it.”
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said the Browns still weren’t ready to decide if newly-acquired LB Deion Jones will suit up Sunday against the Patriots.
The Browns traded for Jones on Monday as they look to improve their defense and recover from back-to-back weeks where they’ve allowed over 200 rushing yards. Jones, a Pro Bowler in 2017, had 137 tackles with the Falcons last season.
“He’s working hard,” Stefanski said. “We’ll see about the game, but I know this: He’s working very hard in the meeting room and working very hard on the field. We’lll see how it goes over the next 48 hours.”
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