With the Browns continuing to invest in the tight end position, Harrison Bryant may be on the way out. Albert Breer of SI.com writes that the Browns “would at least look to other teams” for interest in their tight end.
The 2020 fourth-round pick has flashed potential through his three seasons in the NFL. He earned All-Rookie Team honors after hauling in 24 receptions, and he’s added another 52 catches over the past two years. The six-foot-five, 230-pound tight end finished this past season with a career-high 31 catches for 239 yards.
However, Bryant’s future with the organization hasn’t looked all that secure since the Browns made David Njoku the NFL’s highest-paid tight end last offseason. Then, this offseason, the team added former Deshaun Watson teammate Jordan Akins, pushing Bryant even further down the depth chart.
With the 25-year-old set to hit free agency following the season, it’d make sense for the front office to consider trading him vs. likely losing him for nothing next year. If a deal did come to fruition, the Browns would likely turn to 2022 UDFA Zaire Mitchell-Paden or 2023 UDFA Thomas Greaney as the third tight end on the depth chart.
Thanks in part to that expiring contract, the Browns can’t expect a whole lot in return for Bryant. Still, there should be a number of TE-needy teams who would take a chance on the player, especially once injuries start hitting in training camp and the preseason. Bryant only ranked as Pro Football Focus 43rd tight end (among 73 qualifiers) this past season, but he did earn a top-10 mark at the position for his pass blocking. Considering his modest offensive production, Bryant would be a fine TE2 for another team.
Kevin Stefanski came to Cleveland with a reputation for running a lot of 2 tight end formations, and it was expected that Bryant would be used a lot with Njoku. However, Stefanski has not used Bryant anywhere near where it was expected, in part, I think, because the front office has ridiculously overvalued Njoku and forced him down Stefanski’s throat, forcing Stefanski to utilize two TE formations in which Bryant, even when on the field, is virtually the last option. When the Browns drafted Bryant, he had the reputation of being a productive receiver, and to his credit, has developed his blocking skills, but any team that would get Bryant would be getting a guy who still can be a very useful and productive player if utilized in a way that he sees more targets than Stefanski and the front office have gotten him. It’s clear the Browns intend to throw the ball downfield a lot more to their wideouts than they have the last 3 seasons, and not run the ball as much as they have, so unfortunately it probably is best for Bryant that he go somewhere else where he would be valued and utilized more.
It really is insane how much they overvalued Njoku. He’s decent, but worth nowhere near 4/$55M.
Miami seems like a logical fit. Add some depth on the cheap for a year.
Trade? Nobody is trading anything for this guy. Straight cut