Browns’ New-Look OL Taking Shape
The Browns fielded one of the league’s oldest offensive lines last season, but the unit will look very different in 2026. How different remains to be seen – the starting five has started to take shape but is far from finalized.
General manager Andrew Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) that the left tackle spot is currently occupied by 2023 fourth-rounder Dawand Jones. The 24-year-old has lined up at both tackle positions during his time in Cleveland with 20 total starts. He opened the 2025 season as the starting left tackle but was benched in Week 3.
The Browns’ draft plans could push Jones out of the picture. They are expected to pursue an offensive tackle with one of their two first-round picks, but several top prospects lined up on the right side in college. Cleveland may prefer keeping a rookie at their natural position and flipping Tytus Howard from right to left tackle.
The Browns have multiple options on the interior after signing Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson in free agency. Both have spent the most time at left guard, but Jenkins can play center, too. Teven Jenkins would then play right guard.
Again, Cleveland’s draft haul could factor in here. Adding a pure center could bump Elgton Jenkins to either guard spot with Johnson taking up the other. Berry also said that the door is still open for Joel Bitonio, who is contemplating retirement after 12 years as Cleveland’s starting left guard. If he returned, he would retain that job, keeping Jenkins at center and moving Johnson to right guard, where he lined up as a rookie.
The Browns have prioritized versatility in their offensive line room. They have multiple starting options at every position except center, and they will likely add at least one more player to the mix in the draft. Then, it will be up to new head coach Todd Monken to identify the best five-man combination by Week 1.
Chargers Had Interest In Elgton Jenkins; Latest On Guard Plans
The Chargers’ offensive line endured a brutal, injury-plagued year in 2025, but the unit will look much different next season. Left tackle Rashawn Slater will return after a ruptured patellar tendon cost him the entire season. Right tackle Joe Alt, who missed 11 games with an ankle injury, will also be back. The Chargers overhauled the rest of the unit, meaning three new starters will join Slater and Alt in 2026.
A full-time starter in Los Angeles over the past two years, center Bradley Bozeman retired in February. The Chargers found a capable replacement in former Cowboy and Commander Tyler Biadasz, whom they handed a three-year, $30MM contract. Along with Bozeman, the Chargers waved goodbye to guards Zion Johnson and Mekhi Becton.
Johnson started in 65 of 66 games during his four seasons as a Charger, but he did not turn into the dominant force they wanted when they picked the Boston College alum 17th overall in 2022. The Chargers declined Johnson’s fifth-year option last May, setting him up for a trip to the open market this offseason. He accepted the Browns’ three-year, $49.5MM offer when the negotiating window opened March 9.
The Chargers handed Becton a two-year deal worth up to $20MM last March. Although Becton was a 14-game starter in the first year of the pact, the Chargers were not content to run it back with him. They released Becton before free agency opened. He remains unsigned.
With Johnson and Becton walking out the door, the Chargers made a couple of modest free agent investments at the guard position. The team had interest in Elgton Jenkins after the Packers released him, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports, but the two-time Pro Bowler joined Johnson in Cleveland on a two-year, $24MM accord.
The Chargers signed Cole Strange to a two-year agreement worth up to $13MM and re-upped Trevor Penning for $4.5MM the day before Jenkins chose the Browns. At least for now, the plan is for Strange to replace Becton at right guard and Penning to take over for Johnson on the left side, according to Popper.
The Patriots surprised many (including Rams head coach Sean McVay and GM Les Snead) in taking Strange 29th overall in 2022. The Chattanooga product has started in 43 of 44 games since then, including 14 with the Dolphins last year, but he is already on his third team four years after Bill Belichick chose him. However, during his lone season in Miami, Strange won over head coach Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins fired McDaniel after the season, leading him to take the Chargers’ offensive coordinator job in late January. Adding Strange a month and a half later “was very obviously a McDaniel-driven signing,” Popper writes.
Penning joins Johnson and Strange as a former first-rounder who has fallen short of his draft slot in the NFL. The 19th overall pick of the Saints in 2022, Penning began at left tackle. Foot injuries limited Penning to six games and one start as a rookie. The 6-foot-7, 325-pounder started the Saints’ first five games at left tackle in 2023, but he played poorly enough that they benched him for the rest of the season. While New Orleans deployed Penning as a 17-game starter at right tackle in 2024, he led all O-linemen in penalty yards and gave up the second-most pressures in the league at his position.
The Saints shifted Penning to left guard last season, and while he started in his first six appearances, they traded him to the banged-up Chargers for a 2027 sixth-rounder at the Nov. 4 deadline. Penning started in four of seven games with the Chargers, who used him at right guard and left tackle. Pro Football Focus rated his play a subpar 64th among 79 qualified guards, though Johnson (54th) wasn’t much better. Becton (77th) was worse.
Armed with $48.68MM in cap space, the Chargers still have plenty of money to upgrade at guard. Free agency has thinned out over the past 12 days, but quality veterans like Kevin Zeitler and Joel Bitonio remain without contracts. Either may be a fit if the Chargers are willing to spend. Otherwise, with three picks in the top 86, they could turn to the draft for help.
Browns To Sign OL Elgton Jenkins
Despite coming off a major injury and being a Monday Packers cap casualty, Elgton Jenkins had interested suitors waiting. The Browns will win that pursuit, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Jenkins was released with a failed physical designation, but the Browns will work with the rehabbing blocker. Jenkins agreed to a two-year deal worth $24MM, per NFL.com. Illustrating the interest coming in for the former Pro Bowler, $20MM of that deal is guaranteed.
The Browns explored trading for Jenkins, whom the Packers had dangled before his eventual release. The Ravens were also involved, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Baltimore lost Tyler Linderbaum to Las Vegas (and a record-obliterating center contract) on Monday.
A two-time Pro Bowler as a guard, Jenkins has played both tackle positions and most recently stepped in at center for the 2025 Packers. Green Bay extended Jenkins (four years, $68MM) during his second Pro Bowl campaign, but with one year remaining on that contract, the former second-round pick was deemed expendable. As the Packers have pivoted to other expenses on their O-line, they moved on. The Browns continue to reshape their front with outside vets.
The Browns’ offensive line, which featured five starters and its 2025 sixth man unsigned entering free agency, is taking shape. Cleveland traded for Tytus Howard and gave the ex-Texans starter an extension. The Browns then signed former Chargers first-rounder Zion Johnson. Spot starter Teven Jenkins re-signed with the team today, and Elgton Jenkins is coming in as well. With both Johnson and Teven Jenkins entrenched as guards, it would seem the Browns will ask Elgton Jenkins to play center.
Jenkins, 30, is coming off a season shortened by a lower leg fracture and ligament damage. That injury occurred in mid-November. While Jenkins had initially hoped to return late in the season, his failed physical designation points to the injury taking longer than expected to heal. But the Browns appear unconcerned with the accomplished veteran’s 2026 status. Jenkins has only played one season of center in the pros, but Cleveland looks likely to ask for an encore.
The Browns lost four-year center Ethan Pocic to an Achilles tear in December; the veteran is going into an age-31 season. Jenkins will turn 31 in December but has been a better player. A linchpin of the Packers’ O-line to close the Aaron Rodgers era, Jenkins earned Pro Bowl acclaim in 2020 and ’22 at guard. Green Bay used him at right tackle in between those seasons before deciding guard would be the best spot for the former second-rounder. When the Pack signed Aaron Banks last year, however, they slid Jenkins to center. A raise request was then met with silence from the team, but Jenkins has landed on his feet despite the 2025 injury.
It is possible the Browns have rounded out their O-line. The Jenkinses will join Johnson along the interior as Howard — frequently used at LG — will return to his natural RT post. Dawand Jones may be given a shot to win the LT job, but he has suffered two season-ending injuries in three years. The Browns could certainly go tackle at No. 6 overall.
Packers To Release OL Elgton Jenkins
In a move which comes as little surprise at this point, the Packers are parting ways with Elgton Jenkins. The veteran offensive lineman is being released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Mentioned as a trade candidate recently, Jenkins will join the likes of Tyler Biadasz and Lloyd Cushenberry in becoming center cap casualties. Green Bay will create $19.5MM in cap space with this release, which comes after the team traded Rashan Gary to Dallas. Jenkins is being let go with a failed physical designation, Schefter’s colleague Rob Demovsky notes.
The center market has ignited today, with Tyler Linderbaum smashing the position’s salary record — along with guard AAV numbers — on his Raiders deal before Cade Mays landed with the Lions. The Chargers added Biadasz late last week, while the Bills re-signed Connor McGovern before free agency opened.
The market will feature an accomplished pro in Jenkins, however. A versatile player who has booked Pro Bowl accolades at guard and played extended stretches at both left and right tackle, Jenkins is going into an age-30 season. The Packers gave Zach Tom an extension last year and signed guard Aaron Banks in free agency, kicking Jenkins to center. Sean Rhyan has since signed an extension, and the Pack — after finding a trade partner for Gary — will send Jenkins to free agency.
Moved to center to accommodate the Banks signing, Jenkins pushed for a contract update last year but did not succeed. He had agreed to a four-year, $68MM extension in December 2022. The Packers had moved Jenkins to guard that year, scrapping plans for him to play right tackle opposite the increasingly injury-prone David Bakhtiari. Jenkins had subbed for Bakhtiari previously at LT, but guard became his best position. Jenkins made both his Pro Bowls — in 2020 and ’22 — at that position.
While Jenkins would ordinarily represent an intriguing option on the market, his season ending due to a leg fracture and ligament damage may stall his free agency for a while. While the seven-year veteran — a starter for the Packer teams that earned byes in 2019 and ’20 — may be a bounce-back candidate to monitor down the road, it could take a bit for the 30-year-old blocker to find a new home.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Packers, OL Sean Rhyan Agree To Three-Year Deal
The Packers have agreed to a three-year extension with offensive lineman Sean Rhyan, as Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network were first to report. The deal is worth $33MM and can max out at $39MM. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rhyan will get an $11MM signing bonus.
The Packers selected Rhyan in the third round of the 2022 draft, and after appearing in just one special teams snap in his rookie season, he saw action in 12 games in 2023. Almost all of that work came at right guard, and in 2024, Rhyan became the full-time starter at RG.
In the eyes of Pro Football Focus, Rhyan performed adequately in 2024. His overall PFF grade of 62.0 was roughly league-average, but he lost his grip on the starting job after the first few games of the 2025 slate. 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan displaced him, and as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky observes, Rhyan appeared unlikely to remain in Green Bay as of the midway point of last season.
But in Week 10, starting center Elgton Jenkins sustained a lower leg fracture, and Rhyan was thrust into the pivot for the remainder of the season. His overall PFF mark for his 2025 efforts (59.0) was below average, and his 38.5 pass-block grade was abysmal. However, GM Brian Gutekunst viewed the situation differently, saying at this year’s scouting combine that Rhyan played the center position at a “very high level” once he got his feet wet (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic).
Gutekunst backed up his comments with this deal, which makes Rhyan one of the league’s highest-paid centers despite just nine career starts at the position. The move also means that Jenkins will be released or traded, as Demovsky and Schneidman note (ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had previously mentioned Jenkins as a trade candidate).
Morgan, who played at left tackle in college, did not keep the right guard gig for very long, as Anthony Belton took over there in Week 13. Nonetheless, with Rasheed Walker likely to depart in free agency, Morgan is in line to move back to the blindside for his pivotal third year in the pros.
From left to right, the Packers’ starting OL at the moment appears to be comprised of Morgan, Aaron Banks, Rhyan, Belton, and Zach Tom.
Packers C Elgton Jenkins Suffers Lower Leg Fracture, Ligament Damage
NOVEMBER 12: Jenkins also suffered ligament damage, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Set for surgery, the versatile offensive lineman hopes to return late in the 2025 season. But Fowler cautions that might be overly optimistic.
Losing Jenkins for the campaign’s duration would deal a blow to a contending team while also hurting Jenkins’ cause. The former Pro Bowl guard pushed for a contract adjustment this offseason but did not receive one. Jenkins would now head into a contract year coming off a major injury.
NOVEMBER 11: The Packers’ offensive line was dealt a significant blow during yesterday’s game. Center Elgton Jenkins departed the contest and it appears he is in store for a notable absence.
Jenkins suffered an injury late in the second quarter when quarterback Jordan Love rolled into his leg. Jenkins went to the sidelines at first but he was later carted to the locker room. X-Rays have revealed a lower leg fracture, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports.
No timeline is initially in place regarding Jenkins’ absence, but a lengthy period out of the fold is likely in store. The team termed the ailment an ankle injury when ruling him out for the remainder of the game. Head coach Matt LaFleur said it “doesn’t sound promising” when asked for an update on Jenkins. The Packers have dealt with a number of absences up front in 2025, and that will now continue at the center spot.
Left guard Aaron Banks as well as right tackle Zach Tom – who each signed big-money deals this offseason – have missed time this year. Both were healthy in time for Week 10, and the Packers had their preferred starting five available up front. Jenkins going down will require further shuffling along the O-line, though. Sean Rhyan took over at center to finish the game, and he could continue in that role moving forward.
Jenkins has earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods over the course of his career, but his best seasons have come at left guard. The Packers moved him to center ahead of the 2025 campaign, something which prompted discussions about a potential contract adjustment. Nothing was worked out on that front, meaning the 29-year-old remains on the books through 2026. His future beyond this season is not particularly in doubt, but it will be interesting to see how much time Jenkins is set to miss down the stretch due to this injury.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/25
Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL…
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Tre Avery
Denver Broncos
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: OT Geron Christian
- Waived: WR/KR Michael Bandy
- Placed on IR: LB Karene Reid
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: LB Kristian Welch
- Placed on IR: C Elgton Jenkins (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Suspended: RB Josh Williams
Washington Commanders
- Signed from practice squad: WR Robbie Chosen, WR Jacoby Jones
- Placed on IR: CB Trey Amos (story)
The NFL issued Williams a six-game ban without pay for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Williams will be eligible for reinstatement after Week 16. The undrafted rookie from LSU has picked up four carries for 11 yards in three games this year.
Packers C Elgton Jenkins Does Not Anticipate Contract Adjustment Following Position Change
Free agency saw the Packers add Aaron Banks as their new left guard starter. With Josh Myers departing on the open market, Elgton Jenkins is now in position to find himself at center.
[RELATED: Packers Conducting LT Competition]
Jenkins – who has thrived in several capacities along Green Bay’s O-line during his career – was not satisfied with the move given the difference in markets for guards and centers. In the spring, it was reported the two-time Pro Bowler was seeking an adjustment to his contract to reflect the move, but no such arrangement was made. When publicly addressing his situation, Jenkins confirmed his agent discussed a restructure with the team but also noted he does not expect one to take place before the campaign.
“Right now, I’m not even thinking about that,” the 29-year-old said (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) when asked about the lack of a contract adjustment. “Been playing this game for 20-some years, seven years in the league. I’m very confident in my ability and what I can do. The financial side, I know that’s going to come.”
Two years remain on Jenkins’ deal, and he is owed $32.8MM over that span. His $11.7MM salary will lock in just before the start of the season (just like every veteran around the league), but none of the former second-rounder’s base pay for 2026 is guaranteed. The Packers do not have a history of locking in money early, so it comes as little surprise no action was taken with respect to a restructure in this case.
Trey Smith moved the top of the guard market to $23.5MM this offseason, and a total of five guards are currently attached to a deal averaging $20MM or more per season. By contrast, Creed Humphrey leads the way in terms of center compensation at $18MM; only six players at the position sport an eight-figure AAV. Jenkins’ outlook on his third contract will be influenced heavily by not only his play but also this position change.
The Packers – who recently activated Jenkins from the active/NFI list – will count on strong play up front while aiming to remain contenders in the NFC North this season. Part of that effort will depend on Jenkins succeeding in his new position as he tries to play his way into an upgraded pact next spring.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/25
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Keni-H Lovely
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from non-football injury list: LB Jake Hummel
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Deon Cain
- Waived: CB Daryl Porter Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from active/NFI list: DT Bobby Brown, P Sam Martin
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Toa Taua
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Nick Whiteside
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: OL Elgton Jenkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Josh Tupou
- Placed on IR: OT Jack Wilson
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: RB Nate Noel
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Chaz Chambliss
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/NFI list: S Josh Minkins
New Orleans Saints
- Released: OT Josh Ball
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/retired list: RB Zach Evans
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: WR Quintez Cephus
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Donovan Kaufman
- Placed on IR: RB Kenny McIntosh (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Ramel Keyton
Jenkins, who switched to center this offseason, was dealing with a back injury in training camp and participated in a limited capacity on Monday, per USA Today’s Ryan Wood.
Evans, a sixth-round pick by the Rams in 2023, played in 10 games as a rookie but didn’t make the 53-man roster in 2024. He joined the Jets’ practice squad in December and signed a reserve/futures contract in January, but opted to retire instead.
Packers Holding LT Competition; Latest On Elgton Jenkins
Zach Tom‘s four-year, $88MM extension affirmed the right tackle’s status as a cornerstone Packer, but a question about the team’s direction at left tackle remains. A position battle is ongoing.
Rasheed Walker will need to hold off 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan for the job, Brian Gutekunst said. The eighth-year Green Bay GM called this (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) an open competition but pointed to Walker’s 32 starts as a reason he is the frontrunner for the gig.
On the surface, a former seventh-round pick competing with a priority add (via the 2024 first round) is odd. But Walker has proven to be a late-round find for Green Bay. Pro Football Focus graded the former No. 249 overall pick just outside the top 40 in each of the past two years, after he played in just one game as a 2022 rookie.
Walker’s rookie deal expires after the season, and with two big-ticket O-line payments (to Tom and Aaron Banks) made this year, a free agency path appears clear. Morgan also could be in line to take over at LT in 2026, provided he cannot unseat Walker in training camp. This would set up Walker, with a good contract year, to be one of the 2026 market’s top prizes. He started 15 regular-season games in 2023 and all 17 last season.
A decorated left tackle at Arizona, Morgan split time between left and right guard as a rookie. His injury-shortened season included 120 RG snaps and 65 on the left side, but the former No. 25 overall pick did not see too much action last season. Sean Rhyan operated as the Packers’ primary right guard; the former third-round pick is now in a contract year. Morgan working as a swingman in Year 2 would suggest something is off here, but it also could be possible he loses this competition but unseats Rhyan at RG.
The Morgan-at-right guard plan is technically on the Packers’ back burner, but Elgton Jenkins‘ back injury slid Rhyan to center and allowed Morgan reps at RG, per Channel3000.com’s Jason Wilde. Rhyan said (via Wilde) he believed he has solidified himself as a starting guard. In 543 snaps last season, PFF ranked him 46th among guard regulars. It would surprise if Morgan did not have another chance to crack the starting lineup, but Rhyan would stand in his way if the high-level investment cannot beat out Walker at LT.
Shifted from left guard to center this offseason, Jenkins does not appear in danger of missing regular-season time. Gutekunst hopes the Pro Bowler returns soon, though the team is dealing with a frustrated new snapper thanks to a contract issue.
Jenkins, who has played all over Green Bay’s line, expressed frustration with his deal now that Banks supplanted him as the Packers’ highest-paid blocker. Tom eclipsed both last week. Jenkins is on the Pack’s active/NFI list, meaning he sustained the injury away from the team facility. No guarantees remain on Jenkins’ four-year, $68MM extension — one that runs through the 2026 season.
Additionally, the Packers confirmed (via the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Ryan Wood) they are playing it safe with Christian Watson‘s ACL rehab. Not expected back until around midseason, the contract-year wide receiver will not go through a full practice during training camp. This makes him a clear candidate for the reserve/PUP list, which would bring at least a four-game absence. Gutekunst added (via Wood) Watson’s rehab has gone “great.”