The Browns spent the offseason tearing down and rebuilding their offensive line, and that overhaul may have opened the door to a very specific kind of swing: the kind that could land the NFL’s next Jordan Mailata.
With all five starters gone to free agency, Andrew Berry had to remake the group from scratch, and the results drew mixed reactions. Cleveland now has a foundation piece in Spencer Fano, plus intriguing names like Parker Brailsford and Austin Barber. Tytus Howard is part of the picture too, though the former Houston Texans right tackle still has plenty to prove, and he’s already 30.
That’s why the Browns should be paying attention to Ben Te Kura.
The Australian rugby giant has been granted his release from his club overseas and has moved to Arizona to work on his football transition, with a goal of reaching the league in 2027. As FanSided’s Austen Bundy wrote, "According to the team, Te Kura relocated to Arizona for training and has already attended an NFL camp. He won't be playing for a team in 2026, but you'd best believe he'll be one of, if not the top, international prospects entering 2027," wrote Bundy.
Te Kura is drawing the obvious Mailata comparisons for a reason. The frame is the first thing that jumps out: 6-foot-9, 268 pounds.
That’s a rare body type even before you start thinking about the athleticism and strength required to survive in the NFL. But the league has already seen one rugby convert turn that kind of raw physical profile into a real success story, and that precedent matters.
At 22, Te Kura is also the kind of prospect Cleveland can afford to be patient with. Even if Howard settles in and plays well, the Browns have enough draft capital to take a long look at a player like this and let him develop without pressure. He’d be a blank canvas, and the team would have time to build him into a force at right tackle.
Te Kura has a full year to study tape, sharpen his fundamentals, and keep adding mass as he works toward 2027. Cleveland has already poured major resources into fixing its offense, but if the board falls the right way late in the draft, the Browns shouldn’t be afraid to take the shot.
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Browns First Round Receiver Already Facing A Camp Fight
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KC Concepcion, though, is entering a different kind of summer. The first-round receiver is in line to compete for a slot role and should still see the field in a crowded wideout room, but the job he wants is not being handed over without a fight. With the Browns looking to lean on depth at receiver, this is the kind of camp battle that could shape how quickly the offense settles in around its new pieces. [Read more 🡒]
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Zeitler would bring the kind of plug-and-play stability that can settle a line in a hurry, especially if Zion Johnson gets off to a shaky start. Chubb, meanwhile, could make sense in a narrower role around the goal line, while Clowneys pass-rush profile would give the Browns another layer of depth off the edge. None of it means a move is imminent, but it does show how quickly old faces can become practical answers when a roster still has a few loud questions attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Still Waiting For This QB Battle To Get Real
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Todd Monken still has not tipped his hand, which keeps the battle from feeling settled even as the calendar turns toward joint practices and preseason action against the Bills. For now, the Browns are letting the competition breathe, and the real answer may not come until after those August tests make the decision harder to avoid. [Read more 🡒]