{"id":268828,"date":"2026-03-12T10:00:42","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=268828"},"modified":"2026-03-12T09:19:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T13:19:15","slug":"cleveland-browns-offensive-line-solidified-before-the-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/03\/12\/cleveland-browns-offensive-line-solidified-before-the-draft\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleveland Browns Offensive Line Solidified Before the Draft?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cleveland Browns got busy quickly, addressing their largest question mark this offseason by immediately adding to the offensive line. In the first 48 hours of the free agency window, general manager <a  href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andrew_Berry_(American_football)\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Berry<\/a> cut deals with four possible starters along the offensive line. The additions of guards <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/J\/JohnZi00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zion Johnson<\/a> and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/J\/JenkEl00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elgton Jenkins<\/a>, the resigning of <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/J\/JenkTe00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Teven Jenkins,<\/a> and the trade for <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/H\/HowaTy00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tytus Howard<\/a> have put the Browns in a much better position than what they were going into the new league year. With Dawand Jones projected to start at left tackle, Cleveland may have a solid starting five to build on this season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being aggressive in starting this process will give the Browns flexibility in the draft. It also provides a bit of a security blanket if Cleveland fails to hit projected targets when they go on the clock.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take a look at the moves made, where things stand with <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BitoJo00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joel Bitonio<\/a>, and a potential ceiling for this group if they do end up being the full starting five.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Additions and Retention<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 2025 season saw the Browns line with inconsistent play, interrupted by injuries and ending with multiple free agent exits. Jack Conklin, Wyatt Teller, Ethan Pocic and Cam Robinson all opted to test the market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This left Andrew Berry with multiple holes to fill, and he responded quickly:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Tytus Howard (RT, former Texans)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The first move was sending a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/03\/03\/will-the-cleveland-browns-trade-for-tytus-howard-impact-their-draft\/\" target=\"_self\">fifth-round pick to Houston for Howard<\/a> and immediately signing the veteran to a three-year extension. Howard brings proven starting experience at right tackle and position flexibility along the line.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Zion Johnson (LG, former Chargers)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Johnson signed a three-year deal worth approximately $49.5 million ($32.4 million guaranteed). The 26-year-old former first-round pick has started 15 or more games in each of his first three NFL seasons, offering durability, short-area quickness, and solid power in the run game.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Elgton Jenkins (C\/G, former Packers)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Elgton signed a two-year, $24 million contract ($20 million guaranteed). A two-time Pro Bowler who has played every offensive line position, Jenkins spent time at center in 2025 before a season-ending injury. There\u2019s a realistic chance that he resumes duties in the middle of the line..<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Re-signing Teven Jenkins (RG)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Teven has demonstrated the ability to provide a potential long-term starter on the line and will get the opportunity to win a spot and earn a contract that reflects his future this season..<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Along with <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/J\/JoneDa07.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dawand Jones<\/a>, this gives a potential starting five with some positional flexibility if the opportunity arises to add more talent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Joel Bitonio<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of the time of putting together this article, Joel is basically non-communicative. I\u2019m hard-pressed to believe that there is a future for the Browns offensive line that includes him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/browns\/2026\/03\/browns-signing-pro-bowl-center-elgton-jenkins-formerly-of-the-packers-to-a-2-year-deal.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mary Kay Cabot<\/a>: \u201cThe Browns are also still awaiting word on whether All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio will return for a 13th season, but their flurry of moves seems to suggest they\u2019re preparing for life without him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bitonio\u2019s legacy in Cleveland is set in stone. He will eventually be in the Browns Ring of Honor, but for now, his presence on the field and in the locker room has likely ended.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Affecting the 2026 NFL Draft<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before the start of the free agent cycle, the need to address the offensive line was obvious. Cleveland is holding picks at #6, #24 and #39 to start the first pair of rounds in the draft. Adding the pieces they have upfront so far will create a lot more wiggle room for them to operate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At an earlier point in the process, it appeared as though that sixth overall pick may have several suitors for a trade-up. That was primarily based on the availability of RB <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/prospects\/jeremiyah-love\/32004c4f-5612-1782-cbb3-b4614515b83d\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jeremiyah Love<\/a>. Now, with the Chiefs signing Kenneth Walker and the Saints signing Travis Etienne, the move to get ahead of the Commanders for Love\u2019s services feels less likely. Plus, there is no guarantee that Jeremiyah\u2019s hype train doesn\u2019t quickly go off the tracks at #4 overall for the Titans. So, the market for the Browns top pick may be cooling a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the players added to the offensive line thus far, this could have the Browns targeting an offensive weapon for new Head Coach Todd Monken. That makes <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/11\/19\/carnell-tate-2026-nfl-draft-scouting-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Carnell Tate<\/a> a realistic target for that pick.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Current Projected Starting Five<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the Browns do choose to pass on the line to start the draft, or completely skip it in the first, that would strongly signal they believe they have a legitimate starting five already in house:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>LT Dawand Jones (24 years old)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The 6-foot-8, 374-pound former Ohio State product has the rare athleticism and arm length to dominate on the left side. He has battled injuries early in his career, but the Browns have long viewed him as their long-term left-tackle answer.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>LG Zion Johnson (26 years old)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Durable player, road grader and strong in tight quarters, Zion possesses better mobility than his 315-pound frame suggests. Although it\u2019s not the strength of his game, he has shown steady improvement in pass protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>C Elgton Jenkins (30 years old)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Jenkins could end up being a fulcrum point on the Browns line combining football intelligence, Pro Bowl pedigree, and the ability to call protections.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>RG Teven Jenkins (28 years old)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Teven may have provided a glimpse of his future this past season but will need to prove it in 2026. He\u2019s a sound run blocker that has shown potential in pass protection and good discipline in avoiding penalties.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>RT Tytus Howard (29 years old)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Howard\u2019s best ability has been his consistent play. His pass protection has been a bit better than advertised, while his ability to move the defensive line in the run game has been a bit of a struggle.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The immediate questions revolve around how quickly Todd Monken can get them up to speed on the scheme and working together as a cohesive unit. There is enough talent here to field an adequate line with upside, and there is potential here to quickly see a group that becomes one of the stronger units in the AFC North.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Last Word<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If nothing else, this is a swift overhaul of the most glaring offseason issue. It provides, on paper, a template for a starting five while opening up options for the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nfldraftbuzz.com\/DraftOrder\/2026\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">draft<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be clear, there\u2019s nothing here that is going to make most Cleveland fans start talking with confidence around the water cooler. But when looking at the giant transition they were facing with so many starters finding the exit, this is a solid foundation to build upon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a smart, balanced start to a rebuild that can provide some much-needed stability.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Cleveland Browns got busy quickly, addressing their largest question mark this offseason by immediately adding to the offensive line.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5786,"featured_media":239002,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6431,8],"tags":[33533,33883,34294,33894,9611,5076,2027,5139,9164],"class_list":["post-268828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-teams","category-browns","tag-2026-nfl-draft","tag-2026-nfl-free-agency","tag-andrew-barry","tag-carnell-tate","tag-dawand-jones","tag-elgton-jenkins","tag-joel-bitonio","tag-tytus-howard","tag-zion-johnson"],"modified_by":"Sue Levine","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5786"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=268828"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":268932,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268828\/revisions\/268932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/239002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=268828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=268828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=268828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}