Browns have a specific plan for Parker Brailsford and Elgton Jenkins at center

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Browns have a specific plan for Parker Brailsford and Elgton Jenkins at center originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Browns have a clear preference for how their offensive line comes together. Whether a fifth-round rookie makes it happen is the variable that determines everything else.

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According to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns "would love" Parker Brailsford to win the starting center job outright, which would allow two-time Pro Bowl lineman Elgton Jenkins to slide to his more natural position at left guard.

If Brailsford is not ready to start, Jenkins holds the center position until he is.

Brailsford, a 22-year-old out of Alabama via Washington, was selected 146th overall in this year's NFL Draft. At 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds, he is undersized for an NFL center by conventional measurements, but the Browns' evaluation of his game goes well beyond the numbers on his draft card.

"He's an athletic center, and what he does really well is move in the run game," said Browns Director of Player Personnel Adam Al-Khayyel. "He's got tremendous range, great finish. To be honest, if you didn't know his measurables on his card, you wouldn't say he plays like a sub 300-pound player. He's strong, firm. So, really like the skill set and really like how it fits with the offensive side scheme."

Head coach Todd Monken compared Brailsford to Las Vegas Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum, who recently signed the richest contract ever for a center in NFL history.

It is a lofty comparison for a fifth-round pick, but the movement ability that prompted it is genuine.

Brailsford modeled his game on Jason Kelce and former Dolphins center Aaron Brewer, both known for lateral mobility and range in the run game.

What the depth chart looks like and who else factors in at center

Jenkins spent seven seasons in Green Bay and made two Pro Bowls, but struggled when shifted to center with the Packers in 2025.

The Browns signed him specifically believing guard is where he gives them the most. If Brailsford steps in at center immediately, Jenkins reverts to guard, and the Browns potentially have one of the more complete interior line combinations in the AFC North.

The other option in the competition is Luke Wypler, the 2023 sixth-round pick who made five starts last season. Cabot's reporting makes clear the team prefers Brailsford over Wypler as the developmental centerpiece, even if Jenkins provides insurance until the rookie is ready to take command.

Cleveland overhauled its offensive line this offseason with Spencer Fano at left tackle and now potentially Brailsford at center.

Usually, a fifth-round rookie who becomes a Week 1 starter in the NFL is pretty much an exception, not the norm. The Browns are prepared for both scenarios. Their preference is not particularly subtle.

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