The Cleveland Browns did an outstanding job with most of their selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. Nevertheless, they may have dropped the ball at the tight end position, as they admittedly misread the board and wound up waiting until the fifth and seventh rounds to make selections.
They ended up making a couple of gambles in Joe Royer and Carsen Ryan, but chances are that at least one of them will pan out. The Browns may be banking on Royer, their No. 170 overall pick who should get the most opportunities to prove himself during training camp.
Royer is coming off setting new records for the Cincinnati Bearcats, breaking a record previously held by some guy named Travis Kelce. That doesn't mean he'll even come close to being the player Kelce is, but he might be an underrated pickup.
Joe Royer could suddenly have a much bigger role than expected
Injuries took a toll on Royer's Ohio State tenure, but he bounced back nicely in Cincinnati. He's not much of a blocker, which might limit his ceiling and playing time. Todd Monken, however, rarely used 12 personnel when he was with the Baltimore Ravens.
Royer has smooth hands, and he made the most of his opportunities with the Bearcats. According to Pro Football Focus, he averaged a respectable 1.49 yards per route run with an average target distance of 6.2 yards. He averaged a whopping 8.9 yards after the catch per reception, didn't have a single drop, and hauled in three of four contested catches. The sample size is limited, but one can tell he has reliable hands.
Cincinnati quarterbacks had a passer rating of 158.3 when targeting Royer, and he was a true chain-mover. Of his 79 receptions over his final two seasons, 53 catches were either for a first down or a touchdown.
It was slightly disappointing to see him regress and take a backseat in his final season with the Bearcats after breaking Kelce's record with 50 catches in 2024. Still, an 87.9 catch rate in 2025 is fairly impressive.
The Browns didn't need a superstar at the position. Royer's ceiling might not be the highest, but he has a decent floor as a rotational piece behind Harold Fannin Jr. Also, given how tight ends have thrived in Todd Monken's offense, he's at least worth the benefit of the doubt as a potential Day 3 sleeper.
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