The Cleveland Browns are set at the starting tight end position with David Njoku, but the depth behind him is a bit spotty.
Jordan Akins has been serviceable in his two seasons with the Browns but is set to be an unrestricted free agent and is on the wrong side of 30. Blake Whiteheart is an earnings-restricted free agent, Brenden Bates has the advantage of youth on his side but not much else, and Geoff Swaim is also a free agent.
Collectively, that group accounted for 47 receptions, 448 yards, and three touchdowns in 2024, with Akins pulling in 85 percent of the receptions, 87 percent of the receiving yards, and 67 percent of the touchdowns. So, the Browns would not be breaking up a stellar group if they decide to shuffle the room.
If Cleveland wants to get younger and still have the same level of production as what Akins delivered, they may take a look at tight end Juwan Johnson of the New Orleans Saints.
Name: Juwan Johnson
Position: Tight end
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 231 pounds
Age: 28
2024 Team: New Orleans Saints
2024 stats: 17 games, 50 receptions, 548 receiving yards, 11 yards per catch, 3 touchdowns
Career stats: 67 games, 146 receptions, 1,622 receiving yards, 11.1 yards per catch, 18 touchdowns
PFF Grade: 66.7 overall, 71.3 receiving, 52.4 run blocking
2024 contract: Final year of a two-year, $12 million contract
Johnson is coming off a season where he posted career highs with 50 receptions and 548 yards. That is always nice for a player in the final year of his contract, but can also be a cautionary tale for teams. Johnson has been pretty steady the past three years, however, and his 2024 season was not a major outlier, so he may be a safer free agent singing than others.
The downside is that Johnson may be in demand as the free agent tight end class is not deep, which is partly why Johnson landed at the top of Pro Football Focus’ list of free agent rankings for tight end:
There will be slim pickings at the tight end position in free agency this offseason, but Johnson offers a large catch radius and good hands over the middle, critical on third down and in the red zone. Over the past four seasons, his 18 touchdowns rank eighth among tight ends and his 9.0-yard average depth of target ranks fifth, illustrating he is not just a check-down outlet but a true downfield threat at the position. That all sounds like a player that the Browns could be interested in pairing with Njoku.
How the signing could impact the NFL Draft:
Singing Johnson would settle the second tight spot, but the Browns would still need another one on the roster, so this would still be a position to watch in the third round or later.
Priority: Upper Medium
Projected contract valuation (via Over the Cap): $7.24 millionl
