Browns Free Agency: Get To Know New Ol Elgton Jenkins, Jr.

The Cleveland Browns have lost 26 games in the past two seasons. With that many losses, of course, the team fired its head coach and had a ton of holes to fill. Free agency is always a good starting spot because of the veteran presence, and then fill in the remaining void in April’s NFL draft.

And now, here it is: 2026 NFL free agency tampering period. Browns GM Andrew Berry has been burning the midnight oil with several key signings on both sides of the ball.

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The offensive line was a major priority for Berry to solve. With the hiring of an offensive coach such as longtime coach Todd Monken, his new offense will only work with a competent offensive line that can produce consistently on game days.

But there was a problem. Almost every starter from 2025’s Week 1 contest was a free agent. This meant starting over and building something new.

The beginning stage was to make certain that LT Dawand Jones would be ready for training camp. Next, Berry traded for OT Tytus Howard from the Houston Texans. Then, in free agency, he signed OG Zion Johnson away from the Los Angeles Chargers, re-signed OG Teven Jenkins, and is now bringing in center/guard Elgton Jenkins, Jr., formerly of the Green Bay Packers.

Already under contract with Cleveland in this room are three centers: Luke Wypler, Kendrick Green, and Kingsley Eguakun, guard Zak Zinter, and tackles KT Leveston, Jeremiah Byers, and Jones.  

Who is Elgton (pronounced ELL-ton) Jenkins? What does he offer the Browns?

Beginnings

Jenkins, age 30, was born and raised in Clarksdale, Mississippi, which is located an hour-and-a-half drive along Highway 49 southwest of Memphis, Tennessee. He has a sister and a brother. He played offensive line for Clarksdale High School until his senior year, when he played some defensive line as well.

As a senior, he was named Second Team 5A Mississippi Association of Coaches All-State honors, First Team Region 1-5A All-Region Team, and was selected to participate in the annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Game. At the time, he was 6’-4” and a beefy 280 pounds. He played both guard and tackle spots and started every game in his junior and senior seasons.

Jenkins had offers from Southern Miss, UAB, Arkansas State, Mississippi State, Temple, Ole Miss, Louisiana Tech, and Memphis. Although Memphis and Arkansas State were actually closer, he chose his favorite college team growing up in Mississippi State, which was less than three hours away from home.

Like most freshmen, he was redshirted his true freshman year, but was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. During his first season, he played in all 11 games with three starts at left tackle. As a sophomore, Jenkins again played in every game (12) and had five starts at both left tackle and left guard. He registered a pass block efficiency with a 97.8th percentile.

Up until his junior campaign, Jenkins had played four of the five offensive line positions at some point at two levels. As a junior, he was moved to center, a new spot for him. He ended up starting all 13 games in this location and was part of an offensive line that had allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC (13).

He played very well and was again named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. His senior year is where he balled out and proved his worth at the professional level.

Jenkins remained at center and started all 13 games. He played 773 total snaps, including 369 in pass protection. Going into Week 10, he had not given up a single sack, allowed just six pressures, and had zero QB hits. His Pro Football Focus grade was an amazing 84.8.

At season’s end, Jenkins was named First Team All-American, again named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, and won the Kent Hull Trophy (given out to the top offensive lineman in the State of Mississippi). He played in 49 college games with 34 starts: 26 at center, five at left tackle, two at left guard, and one at right tackle. During his two seasons playing center, he allowed just a single sack.

Jenkins was also rated the #1 center prospect going into the 2019 NFL draft. He was invited to both the Senior Bowl and the Combine.

On to the NFL

With the 44^th pick in the second round, the Packers selected Jenkins, who signed a four-year deal worth $6.78 million. He had a very good rookie training camp, but began the season as the backup center and backup left guard.

The starting center, Lane Taylor, was injured in Week 2 as Jenkins came in to finish. The following week, Jenkins was now the starting center. He had 14 starts and played on 964 snaps (89%). He also had 68 special teams snaps on the punt team. He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team and did not allow any sacks.

The following year, he was the Packers’ starting center for all 17 games and was named to the Pro Bowl.

In 2021, Green Bay’s right tackle was injured during training camp, and Jenkins started Week 1 at left tackle. In Week 11, he suffered a torn ACL, had surgery, and was placed on IR, thus ending his year.  

He recovered in time for the 2022 training camp and started the season at left guard and then moved to right tackle. In December, the Packers inked him to a four-year, $68 million extension because of his versatility and consistency, and he was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl.

In the 2024 season, Jenkins started all 17 games and played on 99% of all offensive plays with 1,071 snaps.

Last year, Green Bay signed former second-rounder OG Aaron Banks away from the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, and then moved Jenkins back to center.

Going into Week 11, the Packers were 5-2-1 with a home game against the Philadelphia Eagles in a key matchup. In the second quarter, Green Bay QB Jordan Love scrambled in the second quarter, and as he went down on the tackle, he rolled into Jenkins and fractured his leg.

Officially, it was a lower-leg fracture (fibula) and ankle injury, which required surgery. X-rays revealed the fracture. At the time, the prognosis was at least four weeks, so he was placed on IR with an option to return in a month. Later, that was extended with the idea that if Green Bay had a deep run in the playoffs, Jenkins would be ready. That never happened.

Right before free agency was to begin on March 10, even though Jenkins was still under contract with the Packers, they released him, clearing $19.5 million of cap space, as he carried a $24 million cap hit. 

Was that the reason? Or was there something else going on?

Green Bay released him with the ‘failed physical’ designation, according to the NFL’s daily transaction file. So, here was Jenkins on the roster of Green Bay, listed as their starting center, then he had a failed physical and was cut.    

We do know that the original injury was thought of as an ankle issue. After X-rays, it was confirmed that the leg had a lower-leg fracture of the fibula. Later, it became known that the injury also damaged some of the ligaments in his leg.

There was no way Green Bay could find a trade partner with damaged goods right before free agency was about to commence. In the meantime, they had re-signed free agent OC Sean Rhyan to a three-year contract to be their starting center.

And now, he has signed with the Browns with a chance to start at either center or guard.

His Instagram is @eltonj74, while his X account is @Big_E_14.