Buccaneers: The Last Five Selections at Their Current Spot, Number 19

2015: Cameron Erving

With all due respect to the city of Cleveland, the Browns seem to always be in a state of rebuilding. While the original version of the Browns achieved some success, the new version hasn’t been so lucky. Since their return to the NFL in 1999, they have only posted two seasons with an over .500 record. They have added only one playoff appearance (2002).

In 2014, the Browns offense was ranked 27th in points scored. They were 17th in the league in overall rushing offense and 20th in passing offense. They allowed 31 sacks and 29 quarterback hits. To put it mildly, the Browns needed help on the offensive line, so they chose Cameron Erving with the 19th pick in 2015.

Irving has been a versatile lineman, which is always a preferred quality. He has spent time over his first two seasons at every position along the line except for left tackle. He took some time to work his way into the starting lineup, starting a mere four games in 2015. Irving saw more time in 2016, starting 13 games between center and right tackle.

It’s hard to evaluate a two-year lineman on the Browns, simply due to the lack of team success. If they ever find themselves a quarterback this evaluation will become a bit clearer. But you can never discount a versatile player along the offensive line, and the Browns certainly found one in Cameron Irving.