Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has wasted no time in rebuilding an offensive line that was once the envy of the league, until age and injuries caught up with it in 2025.
Berry kicked things off with the trade for veteran offensive tackle Tytus Howard, before turning to free agency to sign center/guard Elgton Jenkins (a reported two-year deal worth up to $24 million) and guard Zion Johnson (a reported three-year deal worth up to $49.5 million).
While they may not have been at the top
of anyone’s list of free agents, Johnson (65 career starts) and Jenkins (94 career starts) are both versatile veterans who should be able to stabilize the offensive line this fall.
For Johnson, the prospect of blocking for running back Quinshon Judkins, along with a belief that better days are ahead for the Browns, is what drew him to Cleveland, according to the team’s website:
“I saw this young running back that was just electric, and I thought, ‘Man, if I had the opportunity to block for somebody like that, the sky’s the limit.’ Tons of offensive linemen around the league, when you see a running back that can make things appear almost out of nothing, it’s very impressive to watch.
“Looking from the outside in, this team has a lot of good pieces and a lot of talented players. And having the opportunity to come here and just seeing the pieces that we have, and the other veterans that have come in on the offensive line as well, I just feel really good about our room. I think that we have the potential to be something very special.”
As for Jenkins, he is still recovering from a leg fracture that ended his 2025 season in Green Bay after just nine games. And while there was some friction when the Packers asked him to play center last season after he had spent the bulk of his first six seasons at guard, he is open to whatever the Browns need him to do (quote via cleveland.com):
“I want to keep an open mind moving forward. The more guys we have, the better they can play different positions, but obviously, you don’t want to play musical chairs and stuff like that, but you do want guys that are able to fill in if a guy goes down or we need a guy this week and things like that. So I’m definitely open to playing anything and what’s going to help the team.”
Cleveland’s trio of offensive linemen has yet to play a down together, let alone properly meet with their fellow linemen or offensive line coach George Warhop, so building the continuity needed for a successful offensive line may take some time.
Even so, Johnson has seen enough of Jenkins and Howard over the years to believe that they can build something special, given the time:
“Both of those guys I’ve watched a lot on crossover, as offensive linemen we love to watch our peers, see things that they do well, see things that we can steal for our own game. Both of those guys are really, really good players. Tytus, when he was with Houston, and Elgton, when he was with Green Bay, those guys are just consistent. And I’m really excited to play next to them and really grow with them and see what we can become as a unit because I think we all have unique strengths that we can add to this offensive line unit, and things that we can enhance in each other as well.”
Cleveland has enjoyed top play from its offensive line for so many years that, at times, it was a bit easy to take it for granted. But last season revealed how quickly things can go bad when injuries and age start to take a toll on even the best players.
The new group may not yet have the same level of cohesion, but they are ready to start building their own legacy with the Browns.
