Across the league, the Cleveland Browns were widely believed to have had one of the best drafts in the NFL, putting together a 10-man class focused on rebuilding the offense, especially along the line and in the wide receiver room. But beyond that, the Browns were able to pick up some good value elsewhere, and one player who probably has not gotten enough notice is Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer, one of the Browns’ three fifth-round picks this year.
Royer, a fifth-year transfer from Ohio State, had 29 catches for 416 yards and four touchdowns last season and has a chance to earn a spot behind Harold Fannin as the Browns’ TE2. The Browns let stalwart presence David Njoku go this offseason, so there is plenty of opportunity to earn opportunities in the tight end room this year.
Fourth-year tight end Blake Whiteheart is the incumbent TE2, and though he is a mainstay on special teams, he’s not a dynamic playmaker, with eight catches for 55 yards in his NFL career. The Browns also signed blocking tight end Jack Stoll, who is an excellent special teams player, in the offseason.
‘I’m Buying Joe Royer Stock’
But Royer has made an impression already in the Browns offseason. He was sharp in rookie minicamp in early May and left an impression during OTAs last week. As Browns reporter Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com wrote this week: “I’m buying Joe Royer stock. The rookie tight end could be one of the stars of training camp.”
The Browns like Royer as both a blocker and a pass-catcher, the kind of role that can free up Fannin to focus more on his strength as a receiver, especially in 12-personnel sets.
As Andrew Berry said after the Browns picked Royer last month: “Joe has size, really good hands. He is a player that can produce both in the Y, which is kind of your traditional inline role, and the F role, which is a little bit more of a receiving role. So to have that flexibility in the room is helpful and important. So he was the guy that we liked, we felt was there for the value and we’re happy to add him to the team.”
Browns Could Use TEs as Fullbacks
Versatility could be a key for Royer in carving out a role with the team. The Browns are looking for tight ends who can catch and block, but also play some fullback in certain sets. Coach Todd Monken wants to use a fullback more, and the Browns have signed Michael Burton and drafted combo tight end Carsen Ryan in hopes of filling that role. Royer could be a factor, too.
Monken addressed having Ryan and Royer at fullback.
“I think they’re going to have to work there, and we’re going to have to work some of the other guys we have on our roster, but we don’t know that yet,” he said. “Really hard in shorts. Obviously, Mike (Burton) been in the NFL for a number of years, has a great feel for how to fit certain runs, how it’s going to play out. He certainly got that, which we saw. We wanted to sign him. But when you rep a number of groups, you’re going to have at least two other guys that have some feel for playing the position.”
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