To the surprise of absolutely no one, Todd Monken wasn’t ready to declare a starting quarterback as the Cleveland Browns wrapped up their three-week voluntary OTA program last week. He did, however, hint at how the team’s overhauled offensive line group could look entering training camp.
Monken stopped short of any grand proclamations, as the offensive linemen haven’t yet been allowed to put pads on and actually block anyone. He did, however, reveal to reporters that rookie Spencer Fano and recent veteran additions Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, and Tytus Howard will all continue to work with the first team entering this week’s mandatory full-squad minicamp.
The most telling tidbit was Monken calling Johnson the team’s left guard, with Fano at left tackle, and Howard at right tackle. That would leave the extremely versatile Jenkins earmarked for either center or right guard — with the former being the most likely outcome.
As a member of the Green Bay Packers, Jenkins started multiple games at four of the five offensive line spots, most recently serving as the team’s center in 2025. The one position he didn’t play? That would be right guard.
The Browns could feasibly start a second rookie offensive lineman along with Fano this season, and if Johnson continues to stick at left guard — a position Jenkins manned at a Pro Bowl level in Green Bay — the player fans should be tracking most becomes clear as day.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic narrowed the list down to four names, but rookie Austin Barber has the draft capital and physical profile to win the battle at right guard going away this summer.
“Fifth-round rookie center Parker Brailsford will continue to try to win the starting job,” Jackson wrote, “while veteran Teven Jenkins, third-round rookie tackle Austin Barber, first-year player Jack Conley and 2024 third-round pick Zak Zinter are among those who either have or will eventually get snaps at right guard.”
Todd Monken's OTA lineup hints at a major opportunity for Austin Barber
It makes sense that the Browns are taking their time with Barber, who played tackle for the Florida Gators. The breadcrumbs leading to Barber starting his pro career at right guard have been there from the start, though.
Similar to GM Andrew Berry discussing Fano, who was a career right tackle at Utah, as the Browns’ left tackle of the future, Monken mentioned Barber as an immediate option at either swing tackle or guard.
“(We) see him as a tackle to start, obviously has some flex,” Monken said following Day 2 of the draft. “We think he could move inside.”
How heavily the Browns planned to lean into Barber’s flexibility was always going to be tied to which side of the line Johnson played on.
When Johnson signed his three-year free agent contract with Cleveland back in March, he appeared earmarked for the left guard spot vacated by Joel Bitonio. But the Jenkins signing, followed by the team selecting both Barber and Parker Brailsford in April’s draft, opened up several potential new combinations.
Had Johnson begun the offseason program at right guard, where he started for the Los Angeles Chargers during his rookie season in 2022, Cleveland could have shifted Jenkins to the left guard spot with Brailsford and Luke Wypler likely battling it out at center. Keeping Johnson on the left side slashes a lot of combinations, though.
Jenkins makes a lot more sense at center, where he played last year, than he does at right guard, the one spot he’s not familiar with. By keeping him at center, the Browns could have the luxury of placing Barber between a pair of seasoned vets, with Howard to his right.
Jackson mentioned Teven Jenkins, Zak Zinter, and Jack Conley as the other options at right guard ahead of minicamp, but Barber should have an edge over all three. Zinter has mysteriously worked mostly on the left side, despite being a standout right guard at Michigan. Conley is most likely competing for a spot on the practice squad. Teven Jenkins got some work at right guard last season, but he re-signed on a cheap one-year contract, and Barber better fits the team’s timeline if he can make the transition to guard this summer.
Every team needs a credible veteran backup in the case of injuries, and the Browns should have decent options at swing tackle (Dawand Jones), center (Brailsford), and guard (Teven Jenkins).
A left-to-right starting five of Fano, Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, Barber, and Howard feels like the perfect blend of veteran experience and rookie upside/development.
Add us as a preferred source on Google