The Cleveland Browns desperately need blindside protection and pass catchers on offense. Fans should expect them to take an offensive tackle and a wide receiver with both of their first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Those might be their most obvious needs, but they're definitely not the only ones. Fortunately for the Browns, they have nine draft picks this year to help bolster the roster.
Even after signing veteran Jack Stoll, the team still has a clear need for another pass-catching tight end. With David Njoku's return seeming unlikely after he bid farewell to fans on social media, the Browns will likely need to add reinforcements during this year's draft.
The Browns still need a reliable No. 2 tight end behind Harold Fannin Jr.
Moving on from Njoku was a tough decision on an emotional level, but it made perfect sense financially. He was going to demand more money than the Browns should've been willing to pay him after a down year, especially with Harold Fannin Jr. looking like a superstar in the making.
That said, signing Jack Stoll and retaining Blake Whiteheart isn't nearly enough. Yes, they can provide some blocking here and there, but head coach Todd Monken is used to having two pass-catching tight ends on the field, dating back to his days at Georgia.
Stoll has logged a grand total of 28 receptions on 41 targets for 239 receiving yards and one touchdown in his five years in the league. Whiteheart, on the other hand, has eight catches on 15 targets for 55 yards and one score in three years. They're both blocking tight ends and rotational pieces at best, and they may not even make the 53-man roster.
Oddly enough, Monken's Baltimore Ravens ran 12 personnel at the fourth-lowest clip in the league last season (974 plays, per SumerSports). The Browns were 19th in the league with 1,030 plays after leading the NFL in consecutive seasons in 2023 and 2024.
Still, even if Monken doesn't have both tight ends on the field at the same time, he's used to always having one who can make plays in the open field, and who won't be out there solely as a blocker or a decoy.
Fannin will probably be the primary focus of the passing game, at least early on, but it wouldn't hurt to have someone who can take the field when he needs to catch a breather. Circling back on the Georgia connection, Oscar Delp makes sense at 107. The Browns could also try to get Ohio State's Max Klare in the third round, but they might lean toward a defensive player after investing heavily in the offense early.
Whatever the case, the Browns don't have to break the bank to get another pass-catching tight end with a healthy Fannin ready to go nuclear in Year 2. Still, finding him a sidekick in the middle rounds certainly makes some sense for what will be a new-look offense.