All Time Browns Depth Chart

[Zombo]

Well Training Camp is almost here, so time to unleash something I have been working on for awhile:

My Browns All-Time 53 Man Depth Chart

My Guidelines:

--Needed to play three full seasons or more with the Browns

--Players are only rated on what they did with the Browns, the rest of their careers is not weighted in

--You are rated on how you performed against your peers. In other words, I don't need to hear the 240 lb. lineman versus today's lineman argument, we're not actually playing a football game, we recognizing accomplishment with the Brown & Orange.

--Feel free to suggest your favorite players, I will update the list every year, maybe you will get through to me

Notes:

I tried to keep a balanced depth chart, but I ended up keeping 4 QBs because those four meant so much to the franchise and I don't want to demote them until Baker makes me. I also kept 4 running backs because it was bothering me that HOF Bobby Mitchell was not on the squad even though he only played four years with us. Also, I added Doug Dieken in favor of a third TE because we all know Doug would have been the best blocking TE ever ... and he can catch TD passes!

I learned a LOT about the guys in the 50s because I had to research them, stats are not as applicable and I couldn't rely on Pro Football Reference's AV, because they don't apply it before 1960. So I had fun learning about these guys, and the guys from the 60's too, although I pretty much knew their reputations. From 1969 on I've watched just about every Sunday of football so those guys were easier to slot.

There was no set formula to making the roster, i.e. Your # of All Pro Seasons, Pro Bowl Seasons, AV, years of service, etc ... It's subjective ... my opinion weighing everything I know about these guys. I didn't count our long snapper against the 53 because I wasn't about to drop one if these guys for a long-snapper.

So many good players were left off the 53, that I found other ways to recognize them:

--The Practice Squad: Basically these were the hardest cuts and I balanced it out by positions like a real practice squad. So Eric Metcalf didn't make it because I already had 4 RB and a KR on the roster and 2 RB on the practice squad. We have a great history at RB. Some spots, like TE, MLB and DB I had to dig a little further to fill spots down a list of all-time Browns (this is not just an All-Time list, it is a depth chart).

--Legends Club: These are simply guys that have been recognized by the Browns Organization as "Legends" who did not make the 53 or the PS

All-Pro Club: These are guys were recognized as First team All Pros during their career with the Browns, but did not qualify for the above categories.

Pro Bowl Club: These are guys that were Pro Bowlers with the Browns but did not qualify for the above categories. The guys with multiple Pro Bowls are listed first, otherwise they are listed by order of their Browns debut.

Excellence in Longevity Club: These are guys that didn't make my squad and never made a Pro Bowl team, but had long distinguished careers with good production and I wanted to recognize them.

Futures Club: These are the ten Current Browns who I feel have the best chance to make some noise on this ranking in the future. Must have played one season in the Brown & Orange, sorry OBJ fans.

Hall of Famers in Gold, All Pros in Orange, Pro Bowlers in Brown, the rest in Black.

So, without further ado:

 

All Time Browns 53 Man Roster

QB Otto Graham ’46-55 / Frank Ryan QB ’62-68 / Bernie Kosar ’85-93 / Brian Sipe ’74-83

FB Marion Motley ’46-53

RB Jim Brown ’57-65/ Leroy Kelly ’64-73/ Greg Pruitt ’73-81 / Bobby Mitchell ’58-61

WR Paul Warfield ’64-77 / Ray Renfro ’52-63 /

WR Dante Lavelli 46-56 / Mac Speedie ’46-52 / Gary Collins ’62-71

TE Ozzie Newsome ’78-90 / Milt Morin ’66-75 /

T Joe Thomas ‘07-17/ Dick Schafrath ’59-71 / Doug Dieken ’71-84

T Lou Groza ’46-67 / Mike McCormick ’54-62

G Gene Hickerson ‘58-73 / Jim Ray Smith ’56-62

G Joe DeLamiellure ’80-84 / John Wooten ‘59-67

C Frank Gatski ’46-56 / Tom DeLeone ’74-84

 

DT Michael Dean Perry ’88-94 / Walter Johnson ‘65-76

DT Jerry Sherk ’70-81 / Bob Gain ’52-64

DE Bill Willis ’46-53 / Bill Glass’62-68

DE Len Ford ’50-57 / Paul Wiggin DE ’57-67

MLB Mike Johnson ’86-93 / Vince Costello ’57-66

OLB Clay Matthews ’78-93 / Walt Michaels ’52-61

OLB Jim Houston ‘60-72 / Chip Banks ’82-86 / Galen Fiss LB ’56-66

CB Frank Minnifield ’84-92 / Joe Haden ’10-16

CB Hanford Dixon ’81-89 / Bernie Parrish ’59-66

S Thom Darden ’72-81 / Clarence Scott ’71-83

S Eric Turner ’91-95 / Warren Lahr  ’49-59

 

K Phil Dawson ’99-12

P Horace Gillom ’47-55

KR Josh Cribbs ’05-12

(LS Ryan Pontbriand ’03-11)

 

Practice Squad

Mike Pruitt RB ’76-84

Kevin Mack RB ’85-93

Pete Brewster TE ’52-58

Webster Slaughter WR ’86-91

Cody Risen T ’79-89

Abe Gibron G ‘ 50-56

Bob Golic DT ’82-88

Don Colo DT ‘53-58

Don Paul DB ’54-58

Tommy James DB ’48-55

 

Legends Club

Dub Jones RB ’48-55

Eric Metcalf RB/KR ’89-94

Tony Adamle LB ’47-54

Ernie Green RB ’62-88

Erich Barnes CB ’65-71

Don Cockroft K/P ’68-80

Robert E. Jackson G  ’75-83

Dick Ambrose MLB ’75-83

Eddie Johnson LB ’81-90

Earnest Byner RB ’84-88, ’94-95

 

All Pro Club

Tommy Thompson LB ’49-53

Ron Snidow DE ’68-72

Lyle Alzado DE ’79-81

Jamir Miller LB ’99-01

Josh Gordon WR ’12-18

 

Pro Bowl Club

Alex Mack C ’09-15 (3)

Milt Plumb QB ’57-61  (2)

John Morrow C ’60-66  (2)

Weldon Humble G ’47-50

Ken Carpenter RB ’50-53

Chick Jigade FB ’51-53

Ken Konz S ’53-59

Carlton Massey DE ’54-56

Fred “Curly” Morrison RB ’54-56

Art Hunter C ’56-59

Johnny Brewer LB/TE ’61-67

Dick Modzelewski DT ’64-66

Fred Hoaglin C ‘66-71

Ernie Kellerman S ’66-71

Jack Gregory DE ’67-71

Ben Davis CB ’67-73

Bill Nelson QB ’68-72

Gerald “Ice Cube” McNeil KR ’86-90

Leroy Hoard RB ’90-95

Rob Burnett DE ’90-95

Pepper Johnson MLB  ’93-95

Kellen Winslow TE ‘04-08

Braylon Edwards WR ’05-09

Derek Anderson QB ’06-09

Shaun Rogers DT ’08-10

TJ Ward S ’10-13

Jordan Cameron TE ’11-14

Tashaun Gipson S ’12-15

Gary Barnidge TE ’13-16

  

Honorable Mention

Monte Clark T ’63-69

Charlie Hall LB ’71-80

Reggie Rucker WR ’74-81

Mike Baab C ’82-91

Paul Farren T ‘83-91

Felix Wright S '85-90

Dan Fike G ‘85-92

Tony Jones T ’88-95

Orpheus Roye DE ’00-07

D’Qwell Jackson MLB ’06-13

 

Futures Squad

Joel Bitonio G 2014-

Christian Kirksey LB 2014-

Joe Schoebert MLB 2016-

Myles Garrett DE 2017-

David Nojoku TE 2017-

Larry Ogunjobi DT 2017-

Baker Mayfield QB 2018-

Denzel Ward CB 2018-

Jarvis Landry WR 2018-

Nick Chubb RB 2018-

 

 

 

[hoorta]

Sorry young 'un. Little to debate there, but I have to put Lou Groza as the PK. Phil would be the #1 if he hadn't bailed out for greener pastures. 

[TexasAg1969]

I'd have to put Eric Metcalf as the return specialist. Lightning in a bottle.

[Zombo]

6 hours ago, hoorta said:

Sorry young 'un. Little to debate there, but I have to put Lou Groza as the PK. Phil would be the #1 if he hadn't bailed out for greener pastures. 

Well, Lou Groza was Joe Thomas and Phil Dawson together. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler at Tackle, so that is where the HOFer starts. Phil Dawson was a 84% Fg Kicker over 215 games, and single-handily kept a bad team competitive at some points, so he earns a spot as a specialist.

Zombo

[Zombo]

57 minutes ago, TexasAg1969 said:

I'd have to put Eric Metcalf as the return specialist. Lightning in a bottle.

Metcalf was a hard guy to leave off. Perhaps I should add a "utility" designation for a player. As a running back, he has three Hall of Famers, plus the Pruitts, and Mack and Byner ahead of him. He played six seasons with us and never had more than 600 yards rushing, but was an electrifying receiver from the RB spot as well.

As KR, his problem is Josh Cribbs. I didn't have room for a KR and a PR, so I had to combine the skills. As a Punt returner Metcalf was a 10.6 ave and 5 TDs, while Cribbs was 11.0 and 3 TDs. But as kick-off returners it wasn't close. Cribbs has the NFL record with 8 TDs as a Kick returner, all with the Browns, while Metcalf had two, Cribbs averaged 25.9 on kick returns, while Metcalf was 20.2. Metcalf was lightning, but Cribbs had that strength to break through tackles and get those extra yards. Cribbs had 14,065 all-purpose yards with the Browns and 11 return TDs, Metcalf 9.108 all-purpose yards and 7 TDs.

Hopefully the NFL will expand rosters and I can add a Punt Returner or a utility guy, in the meantime, Metcalf is on the fringe with me.

Zombo

[gumby73]

this has loads of time involved and is crazy good Z. Loads of memory flashbacks..Thanks.. Have you gotten to your Mt.Rushmore of 4 yet?     EDIT----Had to take a peek👀..Cockroff missed 25 XP's of 457? I think I finally nunched Awesome Dawson ahead of The Don with only missing 8 of 358..my orange heart still demands a tiebreaker kickoff..

[Zombo]

3 minutes ago, gumby73 said:

this has loads of time involved and is crazy good Z. Loads of memory flashbacks..Thanks.. Have you gotten to your Mt.Rushmore of 4 yet?     EDIT----Had to take a peek👀..Cockroff missed 25 XP's of 457? I think I finally nunched Awesome Dawson ahead of The Don with only missing 8 of 358..my orange heart still demands a tiebreaker kickoff..

My Browns Mt. Rushmore would be Otto, JB, Groza, and Coach Brown.... saving the 4th player spot for Mayfield. Go get it, Baker!

Zombo

[The Gipper]

Outstanding job. I will have to look it over more closely to see if there’s anything I can nitpick  over but But off the top I seen nothing to argue with

[Zombo]

Just now, The Gipper said:

Outstanding job. I will have to look it over more closely to see if there’s anything I can nitpick  over but But off the top I seen nothing to argue with

Thanks, I was working on this when you guys were discussing MLBs, and at the time, I had Dick "Bam Bam" Ambrose backing up Mike Johnson, but the discussion about the recently passed Vince Costello spurred me to look further into his career, and although he was never named a Pro Bowler, he definitely earned a spot on this team.

Bam Bam will get over it, he has a nice job as a judge.

Zombo

[The Gipper]

The one place I could think that you could squeeze Metcalf in would be to just put four wide receivers on this roster rather than five. And trade Metcalf off with   Renfro, Putting him in that utility back slot 

[The Gipper]

1 minute ago, Zombo said:

Thanks, I was working on this when you guys were discussing MLBs, and at the time, I had Dick "Bam Bam" Ambrose backing up Mike Johnson, but the discussion about the recently passed Vince Costello spurred me to look further into his career, and although he was never named a Pro Bowler, he definitely earned a spot on this team.

Bam Bam will get over it, he has a nice job as a judge.

Zombo

Ambrose went to Cleveland Marshall law school with me. 

[The Gipper]

Interestingly I am noting that when it comes to Hall of Fame Browns we are top-heavy on the offensive side. Looking at this it seems that the only defensive players on the Browns whoever made the Hall of Fame were Willis and Ford Who go back to the 40s and 50s. The Browns have never had a linebacker nor defense of back make the Hall of Fame

[Bob806]

The list is very solid. 

Webster Slaughter & Felix Wright could use more love. While Thom Darden was no doubt the best safety I saw, I'd put Wright up there as well (ball hawk extraordinaire).

Eric Metcalf edges out Greg Pruitt for most electrifying player I ever saw.

If Jerry Sherk didn't have health problems, he could have been an all-time NFL great. Maybe Don Rogers as well.

[Bob806]

1 minute ago, The Gipper said:

Interestingly I am noting that when it comes to Hall of Fame Browns we are top-heavy on the offense of side. Looking at this it seems that the only defense of players on the Browns whoever made the Hall of Fame were Willis and Ford Who go back to the 40s and 50s. The Browns have never had a linebacker nor defense of back make the Hall of Fame

That's because the nominating committee is nuts. 

Hanford Dixon didn't have the stats, butthat's because for 2 or 3 seasons, they didn't throw at him often. He was as lockdown as you can get. 

I think Thom Darden is up there on the list for most career INTs, and he'd knock you down. Both are HOF worthy.

[Bob806]

32 minutes ago, gumby73 said:

this has loads of time involved and is crazy good Z. Loads of memory flashbacks..Thanks.. Have you gotten to your Mt.Rushmore of 4 yet?     EDIT----Had to take a peek👀..Cockroff missed 25 XP's of 457? I think I finally nunched Awesome Dawson ahead of The Don with only missing 8 of 358..my orange heart still demands a tiebreaker kickoff..

Tragically, one of his missed XPs was vs the Raiders in the Red Right 88 game, but the field was frozen.

My dad took me to a game vs the Squealers in 1972, the Browns blew a big lead, but Cockroft nailed a game winner at the final gun, Browns 26-24. I'll never forget that game as long as I live.

[gumby73]

How was our former punter aloud to wear the Sipe Jersey? https://alchetron.com/Chris-Gardocki  🖕right back at ya Gardocki...played 16 years, played in 14 playoff games, including Browns playoff game in 02..Than before we could punt his leg off...The Boner goes to finish his career in Shiltzberg, getting a ring in 6 more playoff games.. Sir Stone Mountain,Ga. your off the list      

[Zombo]

19 minutes ago, Bob806 said:

The list is very solid. 

Webster Slaughter & Felix Wright could use more love. While Thom Darden was no doubt the best safety I saw, I'd put Wright up there as well (ball hawk extraordinaire).

Eric Metcalf edges out Greg Pruitt for most electrifying player I ever saw.

If Jerry Sherk didn't have health problems, he could have been an all-time NFL great. Maybe Don Rogers as well.

Don Rogers didn't make my three year criteria, but he was on pace for a roster spot for sure.

Felix Wright is a guy who slipped through my cracks but definitely deserves a mention. Probably a better safety than Clarence Scott, but Scott made the team for his longevity as both a CB and a Safety. Scott was a Pro Bowl Corner and amassed 166 starts with the Browns and 49 picks, Wrights Browns career wasn't as prolific, but he deserves "Honorable Mention".

Zombo

[gumby73]

30 minutes ago, Bob806 said:

My dad took me to a game vs the Squealers in 1972, the Browns blew a big lead, but Cockroft nailed a game winner at the final gun, Browns 26-24. I'll never forget that game as long as I live.

Oh i was there in the Dawgpound at 4 degrees,avoiding sitting in those cold ass seats..Babysitting my father & uncle Jack with their flask of Jim Beam driving them home with my 18 year old drivers license..Scary ride home to Toledo, but 'Oh My' the memories will never go away👍 "here,have a hot chocolate son" 

[Zombo]

3 hours ago, Bob806 said:

The list is very solid. 

Webster Slaughter & Felix Wright could use more love. While Thom Darden was no doubt the best safety I saw, I'd put Wright up there as well (ball hawk extraordinaire).

Eric Metcalf edges out Greg Pruitt for most electrifying player I ever saw.

If Jerry Sherk didn't have health problems, he could have been an all-time NFL great. Maybe Don Rogers as well.

The Felix Wright thing got me thinking. He's a guy that had a pretty significant role on a very successful team. So I am changing the "Excellence in Longevity Club" (Not much of a ring to it anyway) to "Honorable Mention", and Felix is the first new inductee.

Zombo

[The Gipper]

Between Bobby Mitchell, Eric Metcal,f and Josh Cribbs we did have some very very fine punt and kick off return men. One of the maybe few problems on the current team is that I believe at that position those positions are unsettled at this point.

[hoorta]

5 hours ago, Zombo said:

My Browns Mt. Rushmore would be Otto, JB, Groza, and Coach Brown.... saving the 4th player spot for Mayfield. Go get it, Baker!

Zombo

There's a  reason  the Browns training  facility is at 76 Lou Groza Boulevard. Lou was always my favorite player in the 60s.

[The Gipper]

Honorable Mention

Monte Clark T ’63-69

Charlie Hall LB ’71-80

Reggie Rucker WR ’74-81

Mike Baab C ’82-91

Paul Farren T ‘83-91

Felix Wright S '85-90

Dan Fike G ‘85-92

Tony Jones T ’88-95

Orpheus Roye DE ’00-07

D’Qwell Jackson MLB ’06-13

 

I am thinking that Ahtyba Rubin may deserve a spot here....no Pro Bowls but he gave yeoman service to the Browns for a number of years:

 

					Games		Def Interceptions					Fumbles						Tackles
Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	Fmb	FR	Yds	TD	Sk	Comb	Solo	Ast	TFL	QBHits	Sfty	AV
Career					143	107	2	3	0	2	7	6	0	1	0	0	15.0	428	264	164	23	37		59
7 yrs		CLE			99	75	1	1	0	1	5	3	0	1	0	0	12.0	338	212	126	15	30		41
2 yrs		SEA			32	32	1	2	0	2	2	3	0	0	0	0	3.0	75	45	30	8	6		17
1 yr		ATL			10	0												15	7	8	0	1		1
2008	22	CLE		71	11	0						0	0	1	0	0		11	7	4	1	0		0
2009	23	CLE	nt	71	16	5						1	0	0	0	0		38	23	15	0	1		3
2010	24	CLE	NT	71	16	16	1	1	0	1	2						2.0	82	57	25	2	4		9
2011	25	CLE	DT	71	16	16											5.0	82	55	27	4	12		10
2012	26	CLE	DT	71	13	13	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	2.0	44	30	14	4	4		7
2013	27	CLE	DE/dt	71	14	14											2.0	53	26	27	3	5		6
2014	28	CLE	NT	71	13	11	0	0	0	0	1						1.0	28	14	14	1	4		6
2015	29	SEA	LDT	77	16	16	1	2	0	2	1						2.0	36	20	16	2	4		9
2016	30	SEA	dt/LDT	77	16	16	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	0	0	0	1.0	39	25	14	6	2		8
2017	31	2TM			12	0												15	7	8	0	1		1
		ATL		79	10	0												15	7	8	0	1		1
		DEN		78	2	0																		0

[The Gipper]

Also,   Dave Logan....and Ross Fichtner  as honorable mention.

And gee...what about this guy:  (except for one letter of his name....he would be a near Hall of Famer!)

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GibsTo20.htm

(for what its worth, I don't remember him at all)

[TexasAg1969]

6 hours ago, Zombo said:

Metcalf was a hard guy to leave off. Perhaps I should add a "utility" designation for a player. As a running back, he has three Hall of Famers, plus the Pruitts, and Mack and Byner ahead of him. He played six seasons with us and never had more than 600 yards rushing, but was an electrifying receiver from the RB spot as well.

As KR, his problem is Josh Cribbs. I didn't have room for a KR and a PR, so I had to combine the skills. As a Punt returner Metcalf was a 10.6 ave and 5 TDs, while Cribbs was 11.0 and 3 TDs. But as kick-off returners it wasn't close. Cribbs has the NFL record with 8 TDs as a Kick returner, all with the Browns, while Metcalf had two, Cribbs averaged 25.9 on kick returns, while Metcalf was 20.2. Metcalf was lightning, but Cribbs had that strength to break through tackles and get those extra yards. Cribbs had 14,065 all-purpose yards with the Browns and 11 return TDs, Metcalf 9.108 all-purpose yards and 7 TDs.

Hopefully the NFL will expand rosters and I can add a Punt Returner or a utility guy, in the meantime, Metcalf is on the fringe with me.

Zombo

I understand completely, but you have to admit for an Aggie to put a teasip up there in that position he had to be absolutely electrifying to get my vote. Any time the ball got in his hands in a broken field it sure was fun to watch what happened.You can't teach this stuff. Enjoy!! 

 

[The Gipper]

And maybe add a special category:    Greatest Highlights  by a Browns player!   (even if the person does not qualify for your depth chart.

Joe Turkey Jones slams Bradshaw.

Dub Jones scores 6 TDs in a game.

Any others?

 

[The Gipper]

And how about this.....the Hall of Shame

25 Browns players who failed miserably  (top draft picks/free agents,   draftees...no lower than 2d round)

Greg Allen  RB

Craig Powell  LB

Kenny Britt WR

Dwayne Bowe WR

Andre Rison WR

Brady Quinn QB

DeShone Kizer QB

Clifford Charlton LB

John P. Manziel QB

Jeff Garcia QB

Trent Dilfer QB

Steve Holden  WR

Cam Erving OL

Marvin Upshaw DE

Barkevious Mingo DE

Corey Coleman WR

Justin Gilbert DB

Trent Richardson RB

Courtney Brown DE

Tommy Vardell RB

Mike Junkin LB

Bobby Garrett QB

Bobby Crespino WR

Kurt Burris  OL

Brandon Weeden  QB

[alporcini]

6 hours ago, The Gipper said:

Between Bobby Mitchell, Eric Metcal,f and Josh Cribbs we did have some very very fine punt and kick off return men. One of the maybe few problems on the current team is that I believe at that position those positions are unsettled at this point.

The Cube may not have been in their class, but he was no slouch either!

[mjp28]

5 hours ago, The Gipper said:

And how about this.....the Hall of Shame

25 Browns players who failed miserably  (top draft picks/free agents,   draftees...no lower than 2d round)

 

Ahhhhh great Cleveland Browns memories and then there are the Dirty Two Dozen +1.

Some did try even put up some good or sorta' good numbers but most just were big buck busts.

[mjp28]

6 hours ago, The Gipper said:

And maybe add a special category:    Greatest Highlights  by a Browns player!   (even if the person does not qualify for your depth chart.

Joe Turkey Jones slams Bradshaw.

Dub Jones scores 6 TDs in a game.

Any others?

 

You know what this is.

Before there was a Joshua Cribbs, there was an Eric Metcalf.

 

Touching Eric Metcalf on a punt return kills you immediately.

I was going to look at the impact of Paul Brown and football.

Then Josh Cribbs took me back to one of the best afternoons of my young football life.

October 24th, 1993

Eric Metcalf shouldn't have played.  He injured his right knee in the previous weeks win over the Bengals.  He missed practice on Monday, Tuesday, Wednsday and Thursday.  On Friday he did nothing but a light walk through.  In today's NFL world he would have been declared doubtful (although our coach was Belichick, so maybe not).

On Friday he told Cleveland Browns owner (I refuse to add his name to such an amazing tale) "I'm playing in the Pittsburgh game. I'm just not going to miss that."

Thank God he didn't.........    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2009/12/22/1212207/a-look-back-the-greatest-punt 

[The Gipper]

14 minutes ago, mjp28 said:

You know what this is.

Before there was a Joshua Cribbs, there was an Eric Metcalf.

 

Touching Eric Metcalf on a punt return kills you immediately.

I was going to look at the impact of Paul Brown and football.

Then Josh Cribbs took me back to one of the best afternoons of my young football life.

October 24th, 1993

Eric Metcalf shouldn't have played.  He injured his right knee in the previous weeks win over the Bengals.  He missed practice on Monday, Tuesday, Wednsday and Thursday.  On Friday he did nothing but a light walk through.  In today's NFL world he would have been declared doubtful (although our coach was Belichick, so maybe not).

On Friday he told Cleveland Browns owner (I refuse to add his name to such an amazing tale) "I'm playing in the Pittsburgh game. I'm just not going to miss that."

Thank God he didn't.........    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2009/12/22/1212207/a-look-back-the-greatest-punt 

Oh yeah to punt returns for touchdowns in the same game against the squibs definitely a major highlight