The Browns will look to improve all areas of this team and one position group they'll be in the market for is tight end.
There are many holes on the roster that the Cleveland Browns will fill in the coming weeks and months, but one of the positions not talked about as much is tight end.
Sure, Cleveland needs to address the defensive line and the safety room, especially with John Johnson III being released on March 15, but they also need to add some depth to the tight end room.
As of right now, they have only three tight ends under contract for the upcoming season. Those three are David Njoku, who got a four-year, $54.75 million extension last offseason, Harrison Bryant, and Zaire Mitchell-Paden. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said in his press conference that the team would address that position.
There are two tight ends on this list that the Browns have their eye on, according to Jared Mueller of Dawgsbnature.com, who is down in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine.
While tight ends are a vital piece of the Stefanski offensive scheme, it is not a position you need to invest a ton of money in, especially when Njoku just got his extension.
Here are the three tight ends the Browns should have their eyes on, including two that the team is keeping tabs on.
3 free agent tight ends the Cleveland Browns can target
No. 3: Irv Smith Jr. - Minnesota Vikings
This isn't going to be a splash signings should the Browns be interested, but it could turn out to one of quality. Irv Smith Jr. has shown that he can make plays in the NFL, but the only snag on this scenario is the fact he's struggled staying on the field over the past two seasons.
With that being said, that could bring his price tag down to a reasonable amount and that could catch the eye of general manager Andrew Berry. He's a low-risk, high-reward type player who could thrive in this offense with Deshaun Watson running point.
Smith was a second round pick by the Vikings in 2019. In his first two professional seasons, Smith hauled in 66 of 90 targets for 676 yards and seven touchdowns, five of which came in his sophomore campaign.
He would miss the entirety of the 2021 season with a meniscus injury. He returned to the field last year, but injuries limited him to just eight games. He did catch 25 passes for 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns, so the upside is there.
No. 2: Foster Moreau - Las Vegas Raiders
The case of tight end Foster Moreau is going to come down to one thing — the almighty dollar.
The Raiders reportedly have a "strong interest in retaining" him, but again, it will come down to the financials, especially with them needing to make other key decisions. This could also take the Browns out of the equation unless they could work out a team and player-friendly deal.
For Moreau and his agent, they can tell potential suitors that he would be a starter, and he has proven he can handle the load, but has to play behind Darren Waller. This could mean that Moreau will be seeking a hefty payday, so that's something to keep an eye on.
This could be one of the most underrated signings of this free agent class and if Moreau gets his way, he could be receiving a contract that would challenge for one of the highest paydays for a free agent tight end this year.
Over the past two seasons, Moreau has stepped his game up when his number has been called. He has caught 63 passes on 98 targets for 793 yards and five touchdowns while only missing two games. In 2022, he set career highs in receptions (33) and yards (420).
Moreau will likely have a bunch of suitors should he not remain in the Sin City either on the franchise tag or a new deal.
No. 1: Hayden Hurst - Cincinnati Bengals
Wouldn't it be great if the Browns could poach away a tight end from an AFC North foe? Well, that could very well become a reality should the team land Hayden Hurst, who spent the 2022 season with the Bengals.
Should the Browns be able to sign Hurst to a free-agent deal, it would mark the third AFC North team he would play for since entering the league in 2018. He was drafted 25th overall that year by the Ravens, where he would spend the first two seasons of his career. He was traded along with a fourth-round pick to the Falcons in exchange for a second and fifth.
The Ravens never tapped into Hurst's potential as he caught just 43 passes for 512 yards and three touchdowns. In his first season with Atlanta in 2022, he caught a career-high 56 passes for 571 yards (another career-high) and six touchdowns.
In his lone season with the Bengals last year, he had similar numbers to his first year in Atlanta. Hurst caught 52 balls from Joe Burrow for 514 yards and a pair of scores. Those numbers would be highly beneficial to the Browns alongside Njoku.
Like Moreau, Hurst could tell potential teams wanting to sign him that when he's utilized correctly, he can be a contributor to a playoff team, which could cause his price tag to get higher. This will be something that Berry will need to take into consideration.
While this article pertains to just tight ends, that doesn't mean the Browns aren't scouting other positions down at the combine. In fact, here are three players the Browns are watching down in Indianapolis.