3 Big winners after the Browns 2023 NFL Draft

Browns winner No. 2: Harrison Bryant, TE

Last offseason, the Browns decided to release Austin Hooper and then paid David Njoku to be the TE1 through the 2025 campaign. In doing so, they made former fourth-round pick Harrison Bryant the second tight end on the depth chart.

A John Mackey Award winner in 2019, Bryant had done well in his first two seasons while playing third fiddle to Hooper and Njoku. But once he was in the second role, he struggled to make the most of his chances.

Bryant did have a career-high in receptions with 31 but finished with just 7.7 yards per catch — which was far lower than the 11.1 he had in 2021. He also had just one touchdown, after recording three in 2020 and three in 2021.

With that dip in efficiency, Bryant has been relegated back to the TE3 spot with Jordan Akins being signed to a three-year deal in free agency. Akins, who has a history with Deshaun Watson, not only forced Bryant down the depth chart but made his spot on the roster seem questionable.

Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Bryant was a candidate to be replaced with a mid-to-late round pick in one of the deepest tight end classes in recent memory. However, the Browns never took a player at the position, giving the fourth-year pro the inside track to the job.