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ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. gave Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns an A for their 2026 NFL Draft.

The Cleveland Browns‘ offensive line was arguably the worst in the NFL last season, but the team may have more starting-caliber players than spots across the unit heading into 2026.

That is at least the franchise’s hope after mandatory minicamp ended last week and training camp awaits at the end of July, per a report from Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

“The Browns ‘would love’ 5th-round rookie C Parker Brailsford to win the starting center job, but are prepared to start FA addition Elgton Jenkins there if Brailsford is not ready, per @MaryKayCabot,” the SleeperBrowns X account posted on Sunday, June 14. “[Teven] Jenkins would likely start at LG if Brailsford is named the center.”

Browns Paid Elgton Jenkins Good Amount Over 2-Year Contract, Presumably to Start Upcoming Season

GettyCleveland Browns offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins.

It makes sense that Cleveland would desire its Day 3 rookie to come along quickly enough in his first NFL offseason to earn a starting spot Week 1, as that would provide immense value at an important position for four years to come.

However, it is interesting that Cabot noted that Teven Jenkins would start at left guard if Brailsford wins the spot at center, because that would mean Elgton Jenkins begins the season as the Browns’ sixth offensive lineman — and based on his current salary and seven-year career to this point, that is not what Cleveland brought him in to be.

Elgton Jenkins was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Green Bay Packers (2020, 2022) who has started games at tackle, guard and center. He has appeared in 96 regular-season contests during his professional tenure, starting 94 of those games.

The Browns paid Elgton Jenkins, who will play next season at 31 years of age, a total of $24 million over two years to come to Cleveland this offseason.

An annual average salary of $12 million ranks him 11th among the highest-paid left guards in the league, which renders him an expensive player for a team to “hope” ends up as a reserve before ever playing a snap for the franchise.

Elgton Jenkins Could End Up Trade Candidate for Browns Next Offseason

GettyCleveland Browns offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins.

Of course, having a player of Elgton Jenkins’ talent as a swing lineman who can step into several positions in case of injury and/or poor play is more of a luxury than a problem.

Though should those circumstances play out in Cleveland this summer and into the fall, they will raise legitimate questions regarding poor resource allocation and management on the part of the Browns organization.

In such a scenario, the glass-half-full perspective is that the Browns have real depth on a unit that was their greatest weakness in 2025, and can mix and match to get the best five players on the field on any given Sunday.

Then, if Brailsford proves out at center and Teven Jenkins stays healthy at left guard, Cleveland can move on from Elgton Jenkins in spring 2027 and clear some salary cap space. The Browns might even be able to trade him and bring back a Day 3 asset in return.