The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens shared a common roster problem this offseason. Both teams left the first wave of free agency with a major void at center.
The Ravens lost starter Tyler Linderbaum to a mega contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Browns had already lost Ethan Pocic to an Achilles injury back in December, and while they pivoted to savvy veteran Elgton Jenkins, his 2025 season with Green Bay was his first time playing extended snaps at center since 2020.
Baltimore found its own solution, and it should have Browns fans scratching their heads. NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Friday that Pocic is signing a one-year deal with the Ravens ahead of the start of training camp, hoping to compete for their starting job.
Sources: Former Browns center Ethan Pocic, who started 97 games in nine NFL seasons before tearing his Achilles last year, is signing a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Pocic is said to be healthy, and he will have a chance to replace former Ravens center Tyler… pic.twitter.com/B2e7ycmZ4z
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 17, 2026
How much Pocic has left in the tank entering his age-31 season remains a fair question, but insider Jason La Canfora candidly celebrated the Ravens’ move in an article for Sports Illustrated on Friday afternoon.
“Every time I did a Ravens 53-man roster projection going back over a month I included Pocic on it,” La Canfora wrote. “Because even before he was fully cleared to practice from an Achilles injury this move was desperately needed. And once he got cleared the one-year deal, right around the $5M total we discussed all offseason long, happened quite quickly with many teams interested because Pocic was clearly the best center available with Graham Glasgow retiring.
Pocic is rock steady and cerebral and has been through plenty of installs and he’s worked with all manner of quarterbacks and he is the perfect stopgap to get them through a critical year trying to upgrade an offensive line that was poor a year ago even with star center Tyler Linderbaum anchoring it. He’s 30, still plenty young enough and he was with a winning franchise in Seattle and then spent five years in Cleveland, so he will be thankful to be back with a winning franchise.”
Ethan Pocic landing with Ravens puts the Browns’ current plan at center under the microscope
The troubling part of this situation for Browns fans is that head coach Todd Monken has been hesitant to name a starter at center this offseason. Jenkins is almost certainly their guy, but Cleveland has fully embraced a youth movement, and the team is at least leaving the door open for fifth-round rookie Parker Brailsford to compete for the job in camp.
In that scenario, Jenkins would kick back over to guard, which is where he’s both played the most and has been the most effective throughout his seven-year career. It’s worth noting, though, that the Browns paid Zion Johnson big money to anchor Joel Bitonio’s former spot at left guard, meaning Jenkins would play on the right side.
Jenkins was a two-time Pro Bowler at left guard with the Packers and has started at least five games throughout his career at every O-line position — with one glaring exception. He didn’t start a single game at right guard for the Packers despite routinely switching positions based on the team’s needs.
Cleveland will most likely keep Jenkins at center, where he played for Green Bay in 2025, and hold an open competition at right guard between the returning Teven Jenkins, Austin Barber, and KT Leveston.
And while that’s a fine potential stop-gap plan, the Browns signed Elgton Jenkins to a two-year, $24 million contract with $15 million in guarantees despite him currently rehabbing a serious leg injury that cost him the final seven games of 2025. Like Pocic, Jenkins is 30 years old and will turn 31 during the season.
The Ravens, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, are signing Pocic to a one-year deal with a max value of $4.5 million. So Pocic isn’t only the more natural center, but he ended up being an incredibly cheap option for Baltimore to try out during camp.
There was really no reason for the Browns not to sign Pocic at that number, as he could have remained their starting center with Elgton Jenkins at right guard. The Ravens just swiped their guy at a reasonable price, and La Canfora is hardly the only one taking victory laps at Cleveland’s expense right now.
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