The Cleveland Browns were expected to make aggressive moves to address their offensive line needs this offseason, but few expected such a major gift to fall right into GM Andrew Berry’s lap.
The opportunity to add a respected veteran like Elgton Jenkins doesn’t come along too often. That the former Green Bay Packers multi-time Pro Bowler was released and chose to sign with a rebuilding team like the Browns was one of the NFL’s biggest March surprises.
Berry was able to land Jenkins on a two-year deal worth $24 million with $15 million guaranteed. There’s some obvious risk involved with a player entering his age-31 season coming off a serious leg injury, but those in NFL circles seem to agree: The Browns got themselves a potential steal.
Insider Jeremy Fowler released ESPN’s interior offensive line rankings based on feedback from NFL executives, scouts, and coaches. Jenkins was named among the honorable mentions, with one AFC exec stating what Packers fans already knew about the seven-year pro:
"I'm surprised he didn't have much trade value. I know he's had durability issues, but he's a really quality player who can play all over the line."
The Browns may have landed one of the NFL's biggest offseason bargains
The Browns’ ability to sign Jenkins at their number without needing to send draft picks to Green Bay cannot be overstated.
Prior to signing Jenkins, Cleveland traded a fifth-round pick to the Texans for offensive tackle Tytus Howard and quickly signed him to an extension to lower his 2026 cap hit. The Browns still held multiple selections in the fifth round after the trade, so saving them for the draft was obviously a top priority.
The contract also speaks volumes, as Jenkins was owed about $20 million in cash from the Packers entering the final year of his deal. He had no guaranteed money remaining, though, so Green Bay saved over $19.5 million in cap space by granting him his release.
Jenkins’ health will be something for Browns fans to monitor during training camp, as he’s expected to be the team’s starter at either center or right guard. He’s coming off a lower leg fracture that also caused some ligament damage, so he’ll first need to prove that he’s healthy this summer before Cleveland can officially score this move a win.
They got Jenkins at a great number, though, at $12 million per season. There aren’t many offensive linemen in the NFL who have started five-plus games at left tackle, right tackle, center, and left guard. If Cleveland suffers injuries up front in 2026, head coach Todd Monken could use Jenkins like a chess piece to help fill any major voids, and he could feasibly do so purely based on his available personnel and that week’s opponent.
Jenkins’ contract and injury rehab made him one of the league’s biggest risk-reward buys this offseason. And while the $15 million in guarantees is hardly chump change, the potential reward for Cleveland far outweighs the risk after they were able to keep their future draft capital untouched.
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