The Browns may already have their long-term tight end answer in Harold Fannin Jr., but that shouldn’t shut the door on a bigger swing if Sam LaPorta really does hit the trade market.
Cleveland landed one of the draft’s biggest bargains in 2025 when it took Fannin in the third round out of Bowling Green. He quickly looked better than most veterans at the position, stayed productive regardless of who was throwing him the ball, and stood out as the one bright spot in an offense that struggled badly.
Now the expectations are even higher with Todd Monken taking over as head coach. Even with Fannin in place, the Browns still look thin behind him. Right now, fifth-round rookie Joe Royer is their best option as the No. 2 tight end heading into training camp.
That’s where LaPorta enters the conversation. ESPN analyst Ben Solak floated the former Iowa standout as a possible trade candidate, and if Detroit really does decide to move him before the next contract, Cleveland should be listening.
“Every time I look at the Lions' roster and cap sheet, I come away thinking they should trade LaPorta,” wrote Solak." Do the Lions want their fourth option to be making over $15 million per year?
And especially when LaPorta isn't an impactful blocker, often hidden from that role by St. Brown and Isaac TeSlaa?"
The Lions may have a difficult cap picture to manage, especially with extensions coming for Jahmyr Gibbs and Brian Branch, both part of the 2023 draft class. Cleveland’s financial outlook is in a better spot, with Deshaun Watson’s contract set to expire in 2027.
And the Browns would have more than one way to get creative. They have 11 draft picks, and Monken’s background makes the fit even more interesting. He has a track record of getting his tight ends involved in the passing game, which only adds to the appeal.
Cleveland also has depth it could use to help close a deal. Joe Royer and Carsen Ryan both got strong reviews during spring workouts, and either one could be part of the return package if the Browns wanted to make Detroit’s life easier. That kind of flexibility matters if LaPorta becomes available.
The production is already there. LaPorta has gone over 700 receiving yards in two of his three seasons and was on pace to do it again last year before a back injury ended his season. He has also been a major red-zone weapon, with 20 touchdowns in 42 career games.
That’s the kind of player who can change what an offense looks like. With Monken’s history of using tight ends like Brock Bowers at Georgia and Mark Andrews in Baltimore, a Fannin-LaPorta pairing would be hard not to imagine.
Andrew Berry has said the Browns will be more aggressive in the 2027 offseason, but he’s always been willing to look for value and explore trades. LaPorta might not fill the team’s biggest need, but players like him rarely come on the market. If the price is right, Cleveland has every reason to at least check.
In Other News...
Browns Fans Should Not Ignore The Buzz Around This Day 3 Pick
Joe Royer gave Browns fans something to keep an eye on from the moment Cleveland used a Day 3 pick on the Cincinnati tight end. He arrives with an interesting path, too, after starting at Ohio State before transferring to Cincinnati, where he emerged as a much more prominent part of the Bearcats passing game and turned himself into a name worth remembering for a team always searching for dependable help at tight end.
What has people around the program talking is the belief that Royer is more than just a depth addition. Cincinnati tight ends coach Josh Stepp had high praise for Royers work ethic, competitiveness, character and pass-catching ability, and that kind of feedback tends to matter when a late-round pick is trying to carve out a role. For Cleveland, the appeal is obvious: a player with production, a sturdy football background and enough buzz to make this one of the more intriguing bets in the class. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Monken Can Fix One Browns Problem Before Camp Gets Messy
Todd Monken inherits a Browns offense that spent too much of last season beating itself before the ball was even snapped, and thats the kind of problem a new head coach cannot ignore for long. Clevelands offense was the most penalized unit in the league in 2024, and with a fresh staff, major personnel turnover and a roster that has been reshaped to help the attack function more cleanly, the early emphasis figures to be on getting the details right before anything else matters.
The timing is important because this team has lived through too much instability on that side of the ball already, with quarterback changes piling up and the structure around the position now getting another reset. The Browns also added Mike Vrabel as a coaching and personnel consultant during the 2024 season, a sign they knew the operation needed more than a few tweaks, and Monken now has a chance to steady the offense before camp turns into a full-on evaluation of who fits, who settles in and whether the errors that haunted them last year finally stop snowballing. [Read more 🡒]