During the Andrew Berry era, fans of the Cleveland Browns have heard a lot about value when it comes to their team’s approach to the NFL Draft. That started in Year 1, back in 2020, when the Browns landed an intriguing “move” tight end in Harrison Bryant early in the fourth round.
At the time, the Browns had a rising star on their depth chart in David Njoku and had just signed Austin Hooper in free agency. But Bryant was a talent the front office couldn’t ignore. He was college football’s John Mackey Award winner in 2019 as the nation’s top tight end, and longtime draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. felt he should've been a surefire Day 2 selection. “I had him highly rated on the board,” Kiper said on ESPN’s live broadcast, “ahead of some of the tight ends that have already been selected.”
Assistant GM Glenn Cook put it plainly to reporters after the Browns made their selection:
"It got to the point where we were staring at the board and you kind of couldn't ignore the fact that he was still up there,” he said.
Bryant, however, never developed into an offensive weapon in Kevin Stefanski’s offense and wound up walking as a free agent in 2024. He’s now on his third team in as many years after landing with the Seattle Seahawks, but his chances of catching on with the reigning Super Bowl champions feel slim at best.
Harrison Bryant remains a fringe NFL player six years after Cleveland drafted him
Bryant signed a one-year deal with Seattle very similar to the one fullback Michael Burton got from the Browns this spring. His contract is near the vet minimum and included just $50,000 in guarantees, per Spotrac, making it more of a glorified training camp invite than a commitment of any real substance.
The former Florida Atlantic star was likely thankful for any opportunity after a tough 2025 season with the Houston Texans. He was mostly a core special teams player, logging 204 total offensive snaps for Houston and just two receptions for seven yards.
Special teams may be Bryant's best chance of sticking with Seattle in 2026. The Seahawks have A.J. Barner at the top of the depth chart and an intriguing pass-catching option in Elijah Arroyo who they took in the second round of the 2025 draft. They also have a solid blocker behind them in Eric Saubert, who just signed a short-term extension in December.
Seattle typically carries four tight ends on its initial 53-man roster, so Bryant still has an outside shot of earning one of the final spots. He’s facing an uphill climb, though, and if he ends up among the Seahawks’ roster cuts in August, this once promising prospect could be relying on practice squads to cling to what’s now a fading NFL career.
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