Greg Robinson was a pleasant revelation as an emergency option for the starting left tackle position in 2018. After Joe Thomas retired, Desmond Harrison flopped and both Joel Bitonio and Austin Corbett stayed at guard, Robinson acquitted himself nicely in the final eight games.
Some thought Robinson would parlay that into a bigger contract elsewhere with some long-term security, but the veteran and one-time draft bust opted to stay in Cleveland. Robinson signed a one-year deal to come back and protect Baker Mayfield’s blindside.
In an interview with Ohio.com and Nate Ulrich, Robinson explains why he wanted to come back to Cleveland even if he had other offers elsewhere.
“It’s just the locker room, the camaraderie, the guys in the building, it just like makes you want to come to work,” Robinson told Ulrich. “I’ve been in some places where I didn’t feel the same.”
He’s referring to his stays with the Rams, where he was the No. 2 overall pick in 2014. Robinson flamed out badly. His half-year attempt at reviving his career in Detroit in 2017 did not go well, either.
Yet Robinson looked decent enough in pass protection once he took over in Cleveland that he earned an offer to come back. Thus far in training camp, the burly tackle has played well and demonstrated improved technique.
He feels a sense of obligation to Mayfield, with whom he bonded instantly last year.
“We connected like glue from the first day,” Robinson said of Mayfield. It’s not something Robinson would say of quarterbacks he’s blocked for in the past. That’s part of why Browns fans should be optimistic what they saw from big No. 78 will carry over and get even better in his second year in Cleveland.
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