New Cleveland Browns OL Elgton Jenkins
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New Cleveland Browns OL Elgton Jenkins
When the Cleveland Browns made the move to sign veteran offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, who had been a staple for the Packers for seven years, the logic was clear but so was the downside. Jenkins has played both center and guard, and has two Pro Bowl appearances on his CV. But he is also 30 years old and is coming off a leg/ankle fracture that included ligament damage in Week 10 last season, limiting him to nine games.
It was the second significant injury of Jenkins’ career, as he also tore his ACL in 2021. Those concerns, combined with the fact that Jenkins had some struggles transitioning from guard to center in 2025, caused some angst around the Browns’ signing.
As Pro Football Focus wrote in sizing up the Browns’ free agency haul, “Jenkins’ versatility will be a boon for the Browns’ remodeled offensive line, but giving him $20 million guaranteed feels a bit risky based on both his health and recent play.”
Browns’ Elgton Jenkins Was Average for 2 Seasons
Don’t tell that to ESPN analyst Seth Walder, though. Taking a contrarian’s view, Walder not only gave the Jenkins signing an “A” grade, but he called it one of the best signings of the NFL free agency period–No. 5 on his list, in fact.
Walder started, oddly, by pointing out that Jenkins had been about a league-average player in 2025 before the injury, playing center. “Jenkins played last season at center and had middling results, ranking in the 47th and 57th percentiles in pass block win rate and run block win rate, respectively,” he wrote.
He pointed out, too, that Jenkins had been middling in 2024, too, playing guard. And that’s the crux of the worry about Jenkins–his play has declined, he is coming off injuries, the Packers cut him.
Elgton Jenkins Has Had Good Years
The hope for the Browns, though, comes from the fact that Jenkins used to be very good.
Walder wrote: “Jenkins has had seasons when he has ascended to a higher level of play. In 2023, his pass block win rate at guard reached the 89th percentile. In 2022, it was in the 73rd percentile, while his run block win rate reached the 87th percentile in a season in which he split time between guard and tackle and reached the Pro Bowl. And in 2021, Jenkins recorded strong numbers at tackle (84th and 88th percentiles in PBWR and RBWR).
“If Jenkins, 30, can get back to his level of play from a few years ago, he will be a steal for Cleveland.”
Browns Need Everyone to Turn Back the Clock
Any Browns fan would certainly appreciate that level of optimism–ignore the last two years and the fact that the guy is 30, and this is a steal. It may be a theme with the 2026 Browns, where some seem to believe we can ignore the two Achilles tendon surgeries on Deshaun Watson and expect him to “get back to his level of play from a few years ago.”
Realistically, of course, it’s a lot more likely that Jenkins somehow bounces back to 2023 form than Watson bounces back to 2020 form. In fairness to Jenkins, the Packers line was largely a mess in 2025, riddled with injuries and a bad signing (Aaron Banks) that left them wanting. Maybe that factored in his struggles.
Or maybe he is just getting older and less effective, and the $20 million guaranteed is a real risk.