One of the sneaky-big footnotes of the Cleveland Browns’ spring workout program was the absence of top tight end Harold Fannin Jr. The breakout star had his rookie season cut short by a groin injury, and the importance of keeping him healthy for head coach Todd Monken’s offense for 2026 can’t be overstated.
Fannin sat out Cleveland’s OTA workouts and recent mandatory minicamp, most likely as a precaution. He was on the field during Cleveland’s early veteran minicamp ahead of the draft in April, so it’s possible a tweak or new injury occurred.
The Browns’ depth behind Fannin is one of the team’s underrated concerns entering training camp. They passed on signing a veteran to replace David Njoku, instead doubling down on Day 3 of the draft with Joe Royer and Carsen Ryan. It goes without saying that any multi-week absence from Fannin this season could be disastrous for Cleveland’s tight end group. Protecting Fannin from injury during the installment phase of the offseason was probably a good idea whether or not he’s been nursing an injury.
Cleveland does have a pair of veterans on the roster in Jack Stoll and Blake Whiteheart. That will likely be the group the Browns carry through training camp, but will some combination of those players make the initial 53-man roster? That’s a fair question that should start revealing an answer as the more meaningful football activities ramp up this summer.
Pairing Fannin with a more proven veteran would make perfect sense for the Browns ahead of the regular season. One unrestricted free agent who stands out as a viable external option is Will Dissly, a player with plenty of in-line starting experience who caught 50 passes for the Chargers just two seasons ago.
Will Dissly would be a sneaky value-add for the Browns this summer
Spotrac projected Dissly’s market value at around $5 million this offseason, but the Browns could likely negotiate a bargain price at this point in the offseason.
He seems like a strong fit for what Monken wants to do as a product from physical offenses both with the Chargers and Seahawks. Dissly was one of the most efficient blocking tight ends in football during the 2023 season, ranking second by Pro Football Focus both in pass protection and in the run game. His big 2024 season as a pass-catcher stands as more of an outlier, but he could be a fine blocking complement to Fannin with more than enough ability to burn defenses who lose track of him in the passing game.
The decision not to extend Njoku this offseason now makes a lot more sense given Cleveland’s clear youth movement. Not replacing him with a cheaper option in free agency to this point, though, is what should have fans scratching their heads.
Adding Dissly on some type of team-friendly deal would give Monken a more trustworthy No. 2 tight end while providing some runway for the Browns’ two rookies to carve out complementary roles on both offense and special teams. Royer flashed plenty of upside with the Cincinnati Bearcats, but he was the 15th overall tight end selected in the 2026 draft. Ryan was taken with the No. 248th overall pick.
Unless Stoll or Whiteheart emerge as a clear starting option early in training camp, GM Andrew Berry should be looking to add help for one of the team’s most overlooked roster needs.
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