The Cleveland Browns are atop the AFC North and could be a buyer ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline.
Cleveland has been off to a surprise start as the Browns’ defense has been a reason for their success. Yet, Cleveland could use help on offense, but one insider has them urging them to make a surprising addition.
Cleveland will go on the road to play the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Cleveland Browns Urged to Acquire a Tight End
Although Cleveland has Harold Fannin Jr. as its starting tight end, the Browns could look to add another tight end.
Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland urges the team to acquire a blocking tight end to help free up Fannin, who hasn’t had much of an impact on the offense.
“I think a blocking tight end is something that shouldn’t be an unreachable goal,” Grossi said on ESPN Cleveland. “You aren’t looking for a Pro Bowl tight end; you are not looking for Brock Bowers, you are looking for someone on someone’s roster who is just a legitimate blocking tight end. It’s not going to be very glamorous if they make that trade, but I think that is almost the No. 1 priority.”
A blocking tight end does make sense for Cleveland, as it could help the running game and also open Fannin. Fannin is the Browns’ top tight end, but he hasn’t factored into the passing game, which Cleveland needs if the offense is going to improve.
And, as Grossi noted, a blocking tight end likely won’t cost much, and it could make a major difference to the offense.
Fannin has recorded 19 receptions for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns this season.
Todd Monken Discusses Fannin’s Lack of Touches
Fannin made an impact as a rookie, but this season, the tight end has struggled.
After looking back on the Browns’ win over the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Todd Monken was asked about Fannin’s lack of receptions.
“We tried to get him a screen and they snuffed it out, so that sucked,” Monken said on Oct. 19. “That was early in the game, and that put us at second and 10. And sometimes the matchup’s not great, like when they go dime and that’s Kyle Hamilton. We had some that were designed or that could get to him, and that was Kyle Hamilton covering him. And the game goes sometimes in a way that it doesn’t end up where the ball doesn’t find him. And I thought Harold did a great job blocking.
“He did a number of things well when we asked him to do that, and he is certainly a weapon that we are trying to get the ball to. Like I said, sometimes they covered him, sometimes the coverage…but that’s hard, too, because we went three quarters without really doing much. So, it’s hard to really… No one really touched it. I mean, we would like to get the ball more to 12 (Denzel Boston), and we’d like to get the ball more to one (KC Concepcion Jr.), and Harold happens to be one of those others. And so, we just got to do a better job collectively. And then you’ll see those touches will rise.”
The hope is Cleveland will find Fannin more often as he is an impact player for the Browns offense.
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