Getty Images Tight end Miller Forristall of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns will be down one tight end as they build their roster for next season, with Miller Forristall signing a deal with the New Orleans Saints.
Forristall inked a reserve/future contract with the Saints this week, making it his third NFL team during his career. Forristall initially went undrafted out of Alabama, where he won a pair of National Championships as part of the Crimson Tide. He caught 44 balls for 505 yards and five touchdowns during his college career at Alabama.
Forristall played sparingly for the Browns, registering just 27 offensive snaps and 61 special-teams plays for Cleveland. He was active for four games and spent much of his time on the practice squad. However, tight ends have been utilized heavily by head coach Kevin Stefanski during his time in Cleveland, so depth familiar with the offense is always welcomed.
The Browns still have David Njoku and Harrison Bryant as their top two tight ends but will likely be in the market for a reliable third option that could help in the blocking game. Pharaoh Brown was that last year for Cleveland but they’ll have to decide if they want to bring him back net season, as he was on a one-year deal signed during the season.
Browns Looking for More Explosive Offense Next Season
Cleveland scored 21.2 points per game last season, which was in the bottom half of the NFL. With Deshaun Watson coming back for a full season, the Browns are optimistic that number will rise.
Watson played the final six games for the Browns, with the team going 3-3. Watson — who led the league in passing yards in 2020 — completed 58.2% of his passes for 1,102 yards and seven touchdowns with five interceptions. He had his moments but the offense as a whole delivered a dud to end the year in a 28-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Obviously, having the true offseason with Deshaun and starting the season with him is I think will be obviously a big deal as it relates to that,” Browns head caoch Kevin Stefanski said at the end of the season. “We want to make sure that we are scoring points in any which way we can. We want to give our guys a chance to play fast. I thought there were really moments with Deshaun in there that were some high-level football. I thought guys were playing really well.”
Browns Have David Njoku Locked In as Part of Offense
The Browns have their TE1 locked in, having signed Njoku to a four-year, $56.75 million contract extension last offseason.
Njoku missed three games but produced at a strong level, catching a career-high 58 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns. He expressed frustration about the Browns being eliminated from playoff contention for a second consecutive season.
“Going into every year, you always have high hopes and high goals. When you don’t reach them, it is upsetting, especially when you work so hard, you see your teammates working really hard and everything,” Njoku said. “To not get there, it is tough. Just is life. It is what it is. We have to keep going.”
The Browns have some key pieces in place but expect them to add another piece to the offense this offseason, likely at the wide receiver position as they look to build depth around Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.