One Cleveland Browns Rookie With Best Chance To Surprise Everyone in Training Camp

Here is a Cleveland Browns rookie that fans should keep an eye on during training camp.

Browns center Parker Brailsford blocks as quarterback Deshaun Watson runs on the first day of minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus of the Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio on June 9, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Browns rookies reported to training camp on Thursday, and there are going to be a handful of them who will be fighting for starting roles this summer.

Parker Brailsford is a rookie that Browns fans should be watching this summer

One of the rookies on the roster to watch is center Parker Brailsford, whom the Browns picked in the fifth round from Alabama. The center position is a bit worrisome for the Browns, as they currently have three players capable of filling the role, including Brailsford. However, none of them have a solid guarantee to secure the starting job.

The Browns' starting center from last season, Ethan Pocic, tore his Achilles tendon and signed with the Baltimore Ravens. Luke Wypler filled in for Pocic but also got injured later in the season. The Browns also signed free agent Elgton Jenkins, who is recovering from a broken leg sustained last November. Jenkins could be the starting center but has performed better at guard in his career and could help the Browns more at guard than at center.

With the questions surrounding Wypler and Jenkins, Brailsford could have a real chance to compete for the starting job. One thing to remember is that the Browns have a new coaching staff, and with their new head coach, Todd Monken, he might prefer to play the players he brought in. This could leave Wypler at a disadvantage since he came in under Kevin Stefanski.

Brailsford could have some traits similar to Tyler Linderbaum

Monken also had one of the best centers in the NFL last season while he was the offensive coordinator with the Ravens, in Tyler Linderbaum, and he sees a bit of that talent in Brailsford.

"If you get beyond the size, that's the sticking point for some teams," Monken told 92.3 The Fan in May, via Browns Wire's Jacob Roach. "For us, I don't see it that way. Tyler Linderbaum was not the biggest center, and he just got $27 million per year. We like athleticism. We were jacked to get him when we did."

If Brailsford has a solid training camp, there’s a strong possibility that the Browns will consider starting him. The team is in a rebuilding phase, and focusing on developing young players this season is crucial. Cleveland isn’t expecting to win many games, so the priority is all about improving players for the future, which could give Brailsford a shot at starting.