When Andrew Berry set out on his quest to rebuild the Cleveland Browns' offensive line in free agency, expectations were admittedly low. His reputation precedes him, for better or worse. Fans were pleasantly surprised as the Browns made measured decisions that, at the very least, didn't scream of desperation, even if they weren't all slam dunks.
The Browns kicked things off by trading for the Houston Texans' Tytus Howard. A solid, proven lineman is hard to find in the NFL, even if the Browns could've saved a draft pick by going a different direction. Then they signed former Los Angeles Charger Zion Johnson to a sizable deal — three years, $49.5 million — with the fact that he's only 26 years old making it a worthwhile gamble.
It was a different addition that has Chargers fans envious, however. The Browns' decision to pounce without hesitation to acquire the versatile Elgton Jenkins, almost immediately after he was let go by the Green Bay Packers, was met with praise around these parts. It's now known that the Chargers were in on Jenkins following his release, according to The Athletic's Daniel Popper.
The latest from Chargers expert Jason Reed of Bolt Beat helps put into perspective the massive steal it was for Cleveland to come away the winners of the Elgton Jenkins sweepstakes.
"There are several free agents who would have been perfect fits in LA that ended up elsewhere. No name checks this box more than Elgton Jenkins, who signed a two-year, $24 million contract with the Cleveland Browns. Jenkins has experience in a similar scheme as Mike McDaniel's, wouldn't have counted toward the compensatory pick formula, signed for a marginal price, and has been a Pro Bowler at left guard. He's everything the Chargers need, which made it frustrating when he signed with the Browns, not the Bolts."
Chargers interest in Elgton Jenkins shows just how big this move was for the Browns
As fans, it's natural to be frustrated when a player suffers an injury with the ripple effect being that the team performs worse without them. It's also easy to forget that no one is more disappointed in missing time than the player himself. Forgive Packers fans for being a tad revisionist when acting as though losing Jenkins would be shedding dead weight.
Jenkins did, in fact, fracture his leg in Week 10, an injury that cost him the rest of the season. In the three previous seasons, however, he played in 47 out of a possible 51 games, including the 2022 season in which he made the Pro Bowl.
It's also seemingly been used against him that he's versatile enough to play all five offensive line positions — a rare ability the Packers took full advantage of. It would be unfair to expect a player to maximize his abilities when consistently changing his responsibilities. Nonetheless, Jenkins has gotten an unfair shake for what is an incredible feat.
It's clear that the Browns, Chargers, and potentially other teams saw the value of Jenkins as soon as he broke free. It's been a while since the Browns picked someone other teams were clamoring for. While offseason wins don't count for anything, Browns fans can at least take solace in the fact that they got a good one in Elgton Jenkins.