Browns rookie fifth-round draft pick Nick Harris is the new right guard after injuries to Wyatt Teller and Chris Hubbard. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from the day after the Browns matched an expansion-era high with their 10th win …
The Browns will reach the climax of the best season in their 22-year expansion era with a rookie fifth-round center starting at right guard.
Yes, Nick Harris is the next man up after Chris Hubbard received the bad news that he will need major surgery to fix a torn ACL in his right knee and a dislocated knee cap.
The injury occurred on the second offensive play against the New York Giants on Sunday night. Harris, who had not played guard since his sophomore year at Washington, came in and helped the offense subdue the Giants with three long touchdown drives in a 20-6 victory that secured the Browns’ 10th win of the season.
“He kicked ass,” receiver Jarvis Landry exclaimed.
The popular Hubbard, the sixth man on the NFL’s best offensive line, was subbing for 2020 revelation and analytics Website-super hero Wyatt Teller.
With Teller in a “week to week” situation with an ankle injury, it’s possible that Harris could be the starting right guard when the Browns clinch their first playoff appearance since 2002 – either Sunday against the Jets or in the regular-season finale Jan. 3 against the Steelers.
And if that’s the case, it would culminate a most improbable rookie season for Harris. Which is just par for the course in this pandemic-marred 2020 season unlike any other.
Full circle
When the Browns took the field for the first time in training camp on Aug. 15, Harris was forced in at center because ironman starter JC Tretter was rehabbing ‘scope surgery on a knee.
The original plan was for Harris to be groomed as an interior swingman in his first season. But he took every snap at center with the No. 1 offensive line and none at guard because of Tretter’s absence.
When Tretter answered the bell at the start of the season, Harris returned to the obscurity of backup center. He also took practice snaps at guard, mostly on the scout team. Now he’ll hold down the right guard spot until Teller comes back.
The same thing happened to him at Washington.
“I played guard my first two years in college so it is not like it is completely foreign,” Harris said.
“I was having this conversation with my mom last night. It is just like the circle of life. Everything just repeats itself, I swear. Everything happens for a reason. I ended up playing earlier than I thought when I was in college. Here I am, and I played earlier than I thought I would in my NFL career.
“I just have to go about it how I did in college. Like I said, just continue to just keep getting better, keep grinding, just keep my focus on the right path, just build off of what I did in this game and keep stacking the days pretty much.”
Pro Bowl votes are in
Defensive end Myles Garrett, left guard Joel Bitonio and running back Nick Chubb were voted to the 2021 Pro Bowl.
Although the game won’t be played because of Covid-19 protocols, the teams were selected to honor the best players of the season. In a way, this year’s winners are more meaningful because there won’t be a rash of opt-outs and alternates added because of injuries and Super Bowl commitments.
Garrett and Bitonio were selected as starters. Chubb was named backup to Tennessee’s Derrick Henry, who is honing in on his second consecutive NFL rushing crown.
It is Bitonio’s third consecutive Pro Bowl selection, Chubb’s second and Garrett’s first.
The notable snub on the Browns was cornerback Denzel Ward, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and is inarguably having his best season in three years with the Browns.
Ward lost out to stiff competition, however. The AFC Pro Bowl cornerbacks were Xavien Howard of the Dolphins, Tre'Davious White of the Bills, Marlon Humphrey of the Ravens, and defending NFL defensive player-of-the-year Stephon Gilmore of the Patriots.
The Ravens co-led the NFL with seven Pro Bowl selections. The Steelers had five and the Bengals had none.
Brownie bits
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who left the Giants game with a neck injury, “should be okay,” according to coach Kevin Stefanski. Richardson’s status for the Jets game will be updated later in the week …
The ripple effect of the Hubbard injury means the Browns have to prepare somebody ASAP to back up starters Bitonio and Harris. Next man up is Michael Dunn, who was signed in training camp and has been on the Browns’ practice squad. Dunn was a tackle at Maryland and played in the Alliance of American Football and XFL, along with stints with the Rams, Jaguars and Dolphins. “He does a great job out here at practice,” Stefanski said. “We move him all over the line, as well. He is one guy, but we will work through all of the roster moves this week.” …
Garrett, who tested positive for Covid-19 five weeks ago, still is suffering after-effects. He had difficulty breathing against the Giants and said he had a coughing fit in the locker room after the game. “It is tough,” Garrett said Sunday night. “I am trying not to think about it during the game. Just make sure I get as much oxygen as I can and keep rolling.” Stefanski was asked if he would give Garrett time off in the practice week. “We are mindful of that and have been mindful of that since he has been back,” he said. “He is cleared to play. He is working through it. We have been smart about it, and we will continue to be smart to monitor him and make sure that he is at 100 percent.”