The tight end position was always one of head coach Kevin Stefanski’s favorite. The Browns were living in 12- and 13-personnel over the last few seasons, and although I think the number of plays in multiple tight end sets will be slightly lower, these guys will still play big roles, especially in red zone packages. The only notable change to this group in the offseason was the addition of free agent Jordan Akins, who played with Deshaun Watson in Houston. Let’s find out what you can expect from the tight ends in 2023.
1. David Njoku
Njoku has made impressive progress since Stefanski arrived in Cleveland. After adding Austin Hooper with a significant free agent deal and selecting Harrison Bryant in the 4th round in 2020, Njoku found himself in a situation where he had to fight for snaps. Although he initially requested a trade, he decided to put his head down and go to work, which paid off big time. He added a lot of muscle mass and really worked on his blocking skills, resulting in him becoming one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL today. His receiving ability was never in question because he can jump out of the gym, has an insane wingspan and possesses great speed for a tight end, which make him especially dangerous in the red zone. Due to his skillset, he will be an every-down player in this offense and will mostly line up as an inline tight end. Maybe this year he will finally break out as a top 10-7 tight end (could be worth taking a flyer on him in fantasy).
2. Jordan Akins
During Akins’ time in Houston, he already built some chemistry with Watson, which may give him a slight advantage over the other tight ends to begin this season. His frame is similar to Njoku’s, but his athleticism is nowhere near as impressive. Nevertheless, he was a reliable safety blanket in Houston with decent route running for his size and secure hands. Additionally, Akins is a very good contested catch receiver with the ability to use his body to box out DBs. He is an inline tight end and will probably be the second tight end in most 12-personnel packages. His blocking technique needs some improvement as he can be a liability when tasked with key blocks on plays. Therefore he will be a good complement to Njoku in red-zone and passing plays with around 300-400 yards and 2-3 touchdowns.
3. Harrison Bryant
Bryant adds some versatility to the room as more of an H-back type. He is a very light tight end, which is beneficial for him as a lead blocker on the move, where he is blocking linebackers rather than defensive linemen. Also, he has very short arms, which makes it even harder for him to gain leverage against edge rushers. With the arrival of Akins, I think his usage as an inline tight end will go down significantly, and he will be mostly lining up wide, in the slot or in the backfield. As a receiver, he is a smooth route runner with good speed for a tight end, but he has limited contested catch ability because of his arm length. I see him as more of a possession receiver that you would want to target on crossing or in-breaking routes over the middle of the field or on outlet passes if he lines up as an H-back. Overall, Bryant could be an interesting chess piece, and he is going into a contract year on an incentive-driven deal, which should add to his motivation.
4. Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Mitchell-Paden is a former high school basketball player who has not yet faced any high-level talent over his relatively young career. He has the frame of a power forward at 6’5” and nearly 260 pounds, which, combined with his leaping ability, could make him a promising blocking and contested-catch tight end in the future. Evaluating him is not easy, given only one year of D1 college experience at FAU and a few snaps in the preseason, but I see some potential in him. With another one or two years on the practice squad to refine his technique and understanding of the game, he may secure a spot on the team in the future.
5. Miller Forristall
Forristall was bouncing around practice squads over the last few seasons, with a stop in Cleveland in 2021 and 2022. In college, he was more of a blocking tight end, but he lacks elite strength for that. His receiving ability is also limited by his lack of high-end speed and explosiveness. In my opinion, he is a low-ceiling practice squad player that you can probably get by with as your third tight end for a few games in the case of injury, but he does not excite you in any way.
6. Thomas Greaney
Greaney is an undrafted free agent out of Albany with about two years of starting experience. He is a decently sized inline tight end with some upside as a red zone threat. I believe he has a chance to make the practice squad, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Browns would decide to cut him after the preseason.
Tight Ends on the 53-man roster (prediction)
- David Njoku
- Jordan Akins
- Harrison Bryant
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