The Cleveland Browns are about to venture out into an area that just may have never occurred in the history of the NFL. In Week 1, they are starting five new offensive linemen, most likely. Has this ever happened before? Without doing the research, it just seems more likely than not.
All five starting offensive linemen changed from Week 1 of the 2025 season to Week 1 of the 2026?
RELATED: RANKING JOEL BITONIO AMONG TEAM GREATS
There is another streak that ceased this year.
In 2020, ESPN started an annual
list of the Top-10 players at their position in the entire league. All the best quarterbacks from #1 to #10. Each top running back, and so on.
As far as the offensive line goes, it is divided into two sections instead of three. There is an offensive tackle tabulation, and then an offensive guard/center registry. These lists are not who will be the best players going into this upcoming season, or predictions for future seasons. It is each player’s status right now.
Every Top-10 list of the interior offensive line has featured a Cleveland player in the top spots, until the 2026 version. The streak is over.
Of course, Browns’ offensive guard Joel Bitonio has been that player. Bitonio played the entire season last year despite being lined up with backups and practice squad players.
ESPN Top-10 Interior offensive linemen
Here’s the breakdown:
2020: #7 Bitonio
2021: #5 Bitonio
2022: #4 Bitonio
2023: #5 Bitonio
2024: #5 Bitonio
2025: Honorable Mention
2026: (none)
With the offensive tackle Top-10 list, no Browns player has ever been featured, which is very odd. RT Jack Conklin was named First Team All-Pro with Cleveland in 2020.
As far as the Top-10 list of interior offensive linemen, RG Wyatt Teller was voted Second Team All-Pro in both 2020 and 2021. He went to the Pro Bowl three straight years (2021-2023) during the time ESPN began this trend. That’s five accolades that would seem to carry some weight, yet he wasn’t included.
In 2023, the Browns’ offensive line was ranked #3. Seems odd that only one player from the unit has been highlighted.
There were a few other Cleveland-related rankings.
In the Top-10 interior offensive line list, newly-signed C/OG Elgton Jenkins of the Green Bay Packers garnered some attention:
2023: #9 Jenkins
2025: #9 Jenkins
And yes, the offensive tackle that the Browns passed on and took OT Jed Wills instead, Tristan Wirfs, was listed on every list. Just sayin….
