The Cleveland Browns invested most of their resources in free agency into one thing: the offensive line. With five starters set to hit free agency, general manager Andrew Berry kicked off an overhaul by trading for tackle Tytus Howard and signing guards Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson.
The Browns then added some young talent in tackle Spencer Fano, center Parker Brailsford, and tackle Austin Barber in the 2026 NFL Draft. They also brought back Teven Jenkins, and have Dawand Jones back healthy after last year's season-ending knee injury. The offensive line looks much better on paper than it did a year ago.
That's not how ESPN NFL researcher Mike Clay feels. In his latest offensive line power rankings, which are determined by pass and rush win rates, Pro Football Focus grades, and other factors, the Browns have the 28th-ranked offensive line in the league entering 2026.
NFL analysts still aren’t buying the Browns’ offensive line makeover
On Clay's scale of 1 to 10, the Browns don't have a single projected starter over 6.0. That said, we have to take these projections with a grain of salt, given that Spencer Fano is given a 5.0 grade despite not having played last season, presumably because he's a rookie.
Also, the projection has Elgton Jenkins as the starting center, even though there's a legitimate chance that the Browns start with Parker Brailsford or Luke Wypler, which would allow Jenkins to slide over to his more natural left guard spot.
Clay projects the Browns to roll with Fano at left tackle, Zion Johnson at left guard, Elgton Jenkins at center, Teven Jenkins at right guard, and Tytus Howard at right tackle. That would be a completely new starting five for Cleveland.
That said, it's hard to believe the Browns will have a bottom-third offensive line again in 2026, given everything they invested in that unit this offseason. Even if Fano struggles out of the gate, they can afford to let him develop behind veterans like Howard and Jones. Cleveland made it a point to target veteran linemen who could play multiple positions, and that could lead to new O-line coach George Warhop mixing and matching early in the season to find his best combination.
The Browns may still not have a clear-cut starting quarterback. But whoever is under center this season should be sure that, barring a disappointing turn of events, he won't be running for his life on every dropback.
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