After officially signing his two-year contract with the Cleveland Browns on Friday morning, Elgton Jenkins admitted to local reporters that he wouldn’t mind bringing a former teammate to Berea along with him.
The Browns have prioritized their offensive line during the first wave of free agency, adding a trio of new starters in right tackle Tytus Howard, left guard Zion Johnson, and the supremely versatile Jenkins, who refused to shut down any position the Browns might ask him to play — including left tackle.
Jenkins, of course, is expected to slot in at either guard or center this season for Cleveland, after earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods at left guard for the Packers, before switching to center for them in 2025.
Left tackle would also be completely off the table if the Browns can find a way to land Packers free agent Rasheed Walker, who might be the most surprising name still on the market. Walker could consider settling for a one-year deal at this point, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, and the Browns just signed the perfect pitch man to get him to Cleveland.
Jenkins didn’t mince words when asked about the possibility of teaming back up with his former teammate of four years.
“Hopefully we can get him a Cleveland Browns uniform, but you know? I feel like the sky’s the limit for Rasheed honestly. He’s got a lot of football ahead of him. He’s still young. So if we can have him here, been knowing him from the last four years, and just seeing his game and just seeing him mature as a man and as a player has been very special. So if we can get something done, you know, I’m with it, but best of luck to him wherever that may be.”
Elgton Jenkins on former Packers teammate and current free agent LT Rasheed Walker: “Hopefully we can get him in a Cleveland Brown uniform.”
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) March 13, 2026
Browns could get unexpected help recruiting Packers free agent Rasheed Walker
At this point, it’s fair to wonder how much more cash owner Jimmy Haslam is willing to spend this offseason. The team is currently tight against the salary cap, as expected given its $77.1 million in 2026 dead money, which ranks fourth-most in the league.
It might be a stretch for Andrew Berry and company to commit a big, multi-year deal for a left tackle like Walker, given they hold the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But if Walker is indeed willing to settle for more of a one-year, prove-it type of deal, there might not be a better destination than Cleveland for a short-term marriage.
Walker would walk right into Cleveland’s starting left tackle role for 2026, not only joining his former teammate, but what should be a solid, veteran-laden group across the board.
Signing Walker would give the Browns a chance to hand pick their potential left tackle of the future in April’s draft, without immediately feeding him to the wolves as a rookie. And with Walker potentially playing for another crack at free agency in 2027, the team would expect to get the best out of a 26-year-old player who’s just now entering his prime.
From the Browns perspective, the move would actually fill two needs. They currently need a swing tackle, and Dawand Jones would be the perfect player for that role, given he's coming off a season-ending injury and has experience on both sides of the line.
Cleveland should also be in a much more favorable cap situation next offseason, when its exit plan from Deshaun Watson’s contract will finally be complete. If Walker turns out to be a perfect fit for Todd Monken, the team could look to lock him up with an extension.
The lone knock on Cleveland’s offseason so far is its lack of moves at critical positions like quarterback, wide receiver, and left tackle. The Browns already landed two of the top available interior linemen in Johnson and Jenkins. Adding Walker on more team-friendly terms would be the icing on the cake, and the Browns should use all the leverage that Jenkins can give them to help make it happen.