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Pro Football Focus ranked all 32 teams’ special teams performances for the 2017 season, and the Cleveland Browns came in at No. 23. The number seems a tad high for a club that started the season off disastrously (a blocked punt for a touchdown) and had some big misses from rookie kicker Zane Gonzalez. We had enough of Chris Tabor, though — the unit needed a breath of fresh air. PFF did offer a positive regarding Gonzalez’ kickoffs, though:
The Browns didn’t do much well this season, and special teams as a whole are no exception. That said, rookie kicker Zane Gonzalez made an analytically-sound approach to the new kickoff rule, averaging a distance of just 61.8 on 43 kickoffs and yielding an averaging starting field position shy of the 25-yard line.
The Browns’ new special teams coach, Amos Jones, comes over from the Arizona Cardinals, who were ranked 28th by PFF this past season. Tabor takes over a unit (Chicago) that was ranked 24th. So it’s not a big trade-off rankings wise for any team involved.