Previous Position Room
We will start by looking at how Andrew Berry's position room has been built to start the season each year:
2020 - Hooper, Njoku, Bryant, Carlson
2021 - Hooper, Njoku, Bryant
2022 - Njoku, Bryant, James
2023 - Njoku, Bryant, Akins
2024 - Njoku, Akins
2025 - Njoku, Fannin, Whiteheart
Cash Spending Per Year
2020 -$15,317,942
2021 - $18,293,000
2022 - $14,515,000
2023 - $16,150,000
2024 - $16,500,000
2025 - $18,663,916
Current Contracts
Harold Fannin
2026 - $1,146,495 (no guarantees)
2027 - $1,452,990 (no guarantees)
2028 - $1,759,485 (no guarantees)
Jack Stoll
2026 - $1,175,000 (no guarantees)
Blake Whiteheart
2026 - $1,145,000 (no guarantees)
Brendan Bates
2026 - $1,075,000 (no guarantees)
2027 - Restricted Free Agent
2028 - Unrestricted Free Agent
Sal Cannella
2026 - $885,000 (no guarantees)
2027 - Exclusive Rights Free Agent
2028 - Exclusive Rights Free Agent
2029 - Restricted Free Agent
2030 - Unrestricted Free Agent
Caden Prieskorn
2026 - $885,000 (no guarantees)
2027 - Exclusive Rights Free Agent
2028 - Exclusive Rights Free Agent
2029 - Restricted Free Agent
2030 - Unrestricted Free Agent
Final 53
Harold Fannin
2 x Open Competition - Led by Joe Royer and Carsen Ryan
If the Cleveland Browns would have signed a tight end in free agency or drafted Oscar Delp at 74 then this position room would have been much easier to predict. We know Fannin is leading the position room but behind him it is probably the most open competition on the entire Cleveland Browns roster.
The two most likely candidates are the two players that were drafted. The challenge for Royer is he lacks in the blocking game, where as Ryan is a far more diverse player. Being drafted 170th and 248th isn't going to be enough to guarantee you a position on the 53 man roster, they need to earn it.
There are still several tight ends out there in free agency, I can see them bringing in someone proven. Monken has used two tight ends before and this position room feels like it is on its knees if anything happens to Fannin.
If one of the rookies doesn't make it and they don't want to turn to free agency they should be able to find a serviceable third tight end between Jack Stoll, Blake Whiteheart or Brendan Bates. Depending on what they do with tight end two could have an impact. If tight end two is a blocker then keeping Stoll is unlikely as a second blocker. Where as if tight end two is a receiver then Stoll almost becomes a lock among these three.
My belief is they need a free agent but Andrew Berry isn't always of the opinion when chasing depth at tight end and other places.