The Cleveland Browns haven’t been able to make many significant moves this offseason. Weighed down by Deshaun Watson’s contract, the Browns have just $18 million in cap space according to Over The Cap and limited resources to improve a team that went 3-14 last season.
With the Browns still needing to add a quarterback, general manager Andrew Berry has his work cut out for him. But Cleveland was able to get creative on the free agent market and was able to sign one of their notable additions for an absolute steal in 2025.
Teven Jenkins Was an Absolute Bargain for Browns in Free Agency
The Browns solidified their offensive line by signing Teven Jenkins in free agency. A second-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2021 draft, Jenkins has posted impressive grades including a 75.4 overall grade last season according to Pro Football Focus. But the deal looks even better considering how Berry structured his one-year, $3.05 million contract.
According to Spotrac, Jenkins will get a $1.5 million signing bonus and a $1.17 million base salary next season. He’ll also get $1.5 million in playing time and the Browns added four void years to smooth out the guaranteed money. While those years create an easy path to extend Jenkins in the future, it also gives Cleveland a $1.79 million cap hit for next season.
For a player who had a $13.5 million salary projected by PFF, this looks like a massive win for the Browns. It looks even bigger considering that Jenkins was the No. 3 graded guard by PFF in 2023 and ranked 18th among qualifiers last year.
Of course, the next question is “What’s the catch?”
While Jenkins has played well on the field, he’s had trouble staying on it. Jenkins has missed 23 games over the past four seasons. He also left games early five times last season, making his availability look even worse.
With an injury history that includes back surgery, neck injuries, and a concussion, there’s a good chance the Browns’ bargain could turn into a lemon. But with limited avenues to improve, it’s a chance that Cleveland is comfortable taking.