The Browns' biggest offensive line gamble is about to be tested

Back in early March, right at the start of the NFL’s legal tampering window, the free agency gods smiled down upon the Cleveland Browns. 

The Browns were a team without a starting center, and with Tyler Linderbaum’s market soaring to record-breaking heights, GM Andrew Berry pivoted to a veteran the Green Bay Packers had attempted to trade, but wound up releasing for cap savings.

That player was Elgton Jenkins, who in 2025 added Week 1 starting center to his repertoire. The unique offensive lineman had opened seasons as the Packers’ starter at left guard, left tackle, and right tackle over his seven-year career. Center was relatively new, but Jenkins’ versatility alone made him a slam dunk signing still more than a month away from the 2026 NFL Draft.

Jenkins, however, is entering his age-31 season, and he was limited to 13 starts in 2025 due to a lower leg fracture, along with some ligament damage. With major holes to fill at center, right guard, and left tackle, the Browns felt comfortable enough with Jenkins’ medicals to sign him to a two-year contract that included $15 million in guarantees.

All signs point to Jenkins being healthy and ready to go for the start of training camp, as he mostly operated with the starting offense at center throughout Todd Monken’s first spring program.

But Monken has stopped short of naming Jenkins his Week 1 starter at center. The team is leaving the door open for fifth-round rookie Parker Brailsford, former sixth-round pick Luke Wypler, or even roster longshot Kingsley Eguakun to emerge in camp. If a player from that trio wins the center job outright, Monken confirmed to reporters in early June that Jenkins would slide over to right guard.

In our latest Dawg Fight, a series previewing the 12 biggest position battles of Monken’s first training camp, let’s dive deeper into the one position group that could change everything for the Browns’ offensive line this summer.

The Dawg Fight at center: One Browns camp battle could decide multiple starting jobs

Berry and the Browns put themselves in this position, but some of it can be chalked up to bad injury luck.

The 2025 season was brutal in that regard for Cleveland’s offensive line. From Dawand Jones and Jack Conklin early, to Ethan Pocic and Wyatt Teller late, a rash of injuries left the Browns constantly shuffling its starting five up front.

Pocic’s torn Achilles in December was especially brutal, as it derailed any hopes of a contract extension. He was Cleveland’s center for the past four seasons, but with him past the age of 30 and rehabbing a major injury, the Browns had no choice but to move on.

Jenkins thus became their perfect potential stop-gap option, and the team doubled down at the position by drafting Brailsford early in the fifth round. Wypler also remains in the mix, but after getting carted off the field with a knee injury in the season finale, he too has been working to get back to peak football shape this offseason.

The wild-card in this competition is the battle at right guard. Similar to the center position, Cleveland has a group of imperfect options. Teven Jenkins re-signed with the team on a one-year deal to provide depth and potentially be the starter. The Browns could also look to leverage their surplus at tackle with Jones, Austin Barber, and KT Leveston in an attempt to find an outside-of-the-box solution. All three of those players have the potential to transition inside to guard.

Entering Day 1 of camp, Cleveland’s center and right guard spots are connected — and Elgton Jenkins is holding the rope.

The top contenders for the Browns’ center job

Elgton Jenkins 

Why he can win the job: Jenkins’ nine starts as the Packers’ center in 2025 make him a natural choice for the job. Monken also confirmed that Zion Johnson will enter camp as the starter at left guard, which is where Jenkins won a pair of Pro Bowls with the Packers. He’s played all over the line, but has never started an NFL game at right guard. Center just feels like his cleanest fit.

Why he can lose the job: Center isn’t Jenkins’ natural position. He’s played over 6,000 career snaps, with the vast majority of them as a guard. It’s possible that he simply looks more comfortable playing that position in camp, and that could end up influencing Monken’s decision.

Parker Brailsford 

Why he can win the job: Scheme fit. Brailsford is built similarly to Linderbaum, with a smaller stature but long wingspan and plus athleticism. Linderbaum was one of the best centers in football in Monken’s offense in Baltimore. It’s possible the Browns project Brailsford to be the next best thing.

Why he can lose the job: Fifth-round rookies are rarely trusted as Week 1 starters, never mind at a position that handles the football on every offensive snap. It will take an impressive string of practices and preseason games this summer for Brailsford to convince the coaching staff that he’s ready. A year in the playbook and weight room first could be ideal.

Luke Wypler

Why he can win the job: Familiarity. Wypler is the only center on the Browns’ roster who has worked with both Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. After Pocic’s injury, Wypler started the final four games of the season at center with Sanders as the starting quarterback. He only surrendered five total pressures and didn’t allow a sack over that stretch, per Pro Football Focus.

Why he can lose the job: Wypler’s status on the team was questionable enough for the team to add both Elgton Jenkins and Brailsford this offseason. Cleveland’s entire offensive line struggled in the run game in 2025, and Wypler was literally in the center of that over the final month. He’ll need to improve in that area big-time to win Monken over.

Kingsley Eguakun

Why he can win the job: He’s definitely a wild-card candidate as a former undrafted free agent, but according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic, Eguakun “got some No. 1 center reps in the spring.” The Browns liked Eguakun enough to poach him off of the Detroit Lions’ practice squad ahead of Week 18 last season. Cleveland also seems to be high on the Florida Gators program, as along with signing Eguakun to a two-year deal, it drafted Barber in the third round and also signed undrafted pass rusher Tyreak Sapp.

Why he can lose the job: If the Browns decide to roll with a young and unproven center this season, Brailsford feels like the more logical choice. Eguakun will enter training camp as a long shot to make the initial 53-man roster.

The X-factors that could make or break the Browns’ starting center job

The battle at right guard

If the Browns’ season started tomorrow, their starting offensive line would be Spencer Fano at left tackle, Johnson at left guard, Elgton Jenkins at center, Teven Jenkins at right guard, and Tytus Howard at right tackle. Teven Jenkins started four games for the Browns at right guard late last season and held up well. If he can carry that momentum into camp, the battle at center will essentially become a moot point.

The battle at QB1

Cleveland’s centers won’t only be managing their own competition, they’ll be right in the middle of the Browns’ biggest battle of camp. Watson and Sanders are expected to split first-team reps over the first two weeks of camp, at the very least, and the team isn’t even permitted to practice in pads until Aug. 3, per league rules. The player who manages a fluid QB situation best could gain the ultimate edge.

To that point, going with a proven veteran clearly makes the most sense.

Prediction: Browns prioritize experience over upside, stick with Elgton Jenkins as their starter at center

This one feels like a no-brainer. Center is the most logical position for Elgton Jenkins with left guard off the board.

The Browns made Johnson the centerpiece of their free agency haul, committing over $32.3 million in guarantees. It feels highly unlikely that the team would mess with Johnson’s spot after Monken already named him the starter at left guard. 

Couple that with the fact that Elgton Jenkins has never started an NFL game at right guard, and the choice here feels pretty clear. Cleveland will almost certainly trust the experienced veteran at center, and let the chips fall where they may at right guard. 

Teven Jenkins will enter camp as the favorite for that final spot, as his skills in the run game should appeal to Monken when the pads come on. Barber, Leveston, and Jones are all more than capable of kicking inside and playing good football in that spot, if needed.

It’s one thing to start a rookie at tight end or wide receiver. Center is probably too risky, especially with a fifth-round pick. Unless there’s a major injury shakeup in camp, it’s hard to picture a Week 1 starting lineup that’s not anchored by Elgton Jenkins in the middle.

Fight card: Center

• Leader: Elgton Jenkins

• Challengers: Parker Brailsford, Luke Wypler, Kingsley Eguakun

• Projected winner: Jenkins

• Confidence level: 4.5 out of 5 

— The next Dawg Fight: Punt returner (Thursday, July 23)

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