First look: Tight Ends

For the first time in a very long time, tight ends will be major contributors to the Browns’ offense this season. Not since the days of Ozzie Newsome will the position be a major focus of the attack.

That became obvious when they targeted Atlanta’s Austin Hooper in free agency and rewarded him with a four-year, $44 million contract. Then they exercised David Njoku’s fifth-year contract option.

If that wasn’t enough, new head coach Kevin Stefanski convinced new General Manager Andrew Berry the position needed more fortification. That paved the way for the drafting (in the fourth round) of Harrison Bryant, the best college tight end last season.

The latest move prompted Njoku, who withered in coach Freddie Kitchens doghouse last season, to declare he was through with the club and wanted out. Pronto. He went public through his agent.

That’s when Stefanski and Berry kicked it into scramble mode because they didn’t want to lose him and launched a campaign to convince the fourth-year tight end that last season was a mirage. They still wanted him.

As speculation mounted throughout the National Football League universe as to where Njoku would land via trade, Berry and Stefanski doggedly kept after him and ultimately convinced him to stick around. He went public with that declaration the other day.

Stefanski is so tight end centric, it would not be surprising to see all three on the field at the same time on more than a few occasions, which means Hooper and Njoku will get plenty of reps, especially against teams that struggle against tight ends.

Both men are big, strong, quick, fast and don’t shy away from blocking. Hooper has better hands than Njoku, who can make the spectacular catch, but has occasional problems with concentration on the easy ones. Inconsistency is his biggest enemy.

In an effort to spread the ball around in his multi-purpose offense, the tights weigh heavily in Stefanski’s scheme. It is not outside the realm of possibility that Hooper, Njoku and Bryant will rack up in the neighborhood of 140 to 150 receptions.

The big question now is who becomes the fourth tight end, the guy who can come in and provide solid blocking in short-yardage and/or goal-line situations. Returnees Pharaoh Brown and Stephen Carlson and undrafted rookie Nate Wieting are the candidates.

Brown is the best blocker of that trio. At 6-6 and 260 pounds, the Brush High School product is the biggest tight end on the team. Carlson flashed on occasion toward the end of last season. If the club keeps four tights, Brown should be the man.

Next: Offensive line