The Browns have put themselves in a decent spot at 4-2, and the first six weeks have made one thing clear: the defense has given them reasons to believe, while the offense still has some obvious loose ends.
Deshaun Watson has been uneven at quarterback. The rushing attack has vanished. And the tight end room has been stretched thin.
That’s why the trade deadline looms as a real chance for Cleveland to tighten everything up. If the Browns want to build on the momentum they’ve already created, adding a few difference-makers could be the move that rounds out the roster and patches the holes.
One name worth watching is Detroit tight end Sam LaPorta. He’s been making noise lately, and not exactly in a quiet way. On a recent episode of Pardon My Take, LaPorta voiced frustration about not landing a contract extension from the Lions.
"You know, like last year, whatever it was, Week 9, Week 10, you know, I break my fucking back for the team," he said, "and then I'm going out there this year, and I'm balling, and maybe they're just not showing the love ... And in three months, if I don't get to wear the Honolulu blue and play for the Lions anymore, it's going to be all good.
That final line stands out for a reason. LaPorta is 25 and in the final year of a four-year deal worth nearly $10 million. For a player widely regarded as one of the league’s best tight ends, it makes sense that he’d want Detroit to step up and secure him long term.
Then came Thursday, Oct. 22, when Lions players were made available to the media for about 45 minutes and LaPorta was nowhere to be found.
The Browns should absolutely be paying attention if this keeps going.
It’s rare for a team to even have a chance to pair two elite tight ends, and it’s even harder to make the money work. But Cleveland has long leaned into multi-tight end football.
Kevin Stefanski built around 12 personnel, with two tight ends, two receivers and a running back. Todd Monken has kept that going, while also sprinkling in three-tight-end looks.
LaPorta fits that style, too. He’s the kind of player who can make a defense pay if it gives him room.
He has had a reception of at least 38 yards in each of the last four seasons, and he’s averaged 11.4 yards per catch. Over the last four years, he has 2,420 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns.
If Cleveland somehow made it happen, the Browns would suddenly have a tight end duo few teams could dream of matching. And with the current room featuring Blake Whiteheart, Carsen Ryan, Joe Royer, Jack Stoll and Brendan Bates, adding a player like LaPorta would shift the pressure where it belongs.
Pairing LaPorta with Fannin Jr. would also give the Browns something bigger than just another weapon. It would create a setup that forces the rest of the league to rethink how it handles the position. Add in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston outside the hashes, and Cleveland would have a much more dangerous, well-rounded offense.
A move like that wouldn’t just improve the Browns. It would change the conversation around tight end itself.
In Other News...
Browns Suddenly Have A New Injury Concern Before Titans Game
The Browns Week 7 injury report already has a little of everything on it, and the most notable name to watch is Quincy Williams. The linebacker sat out practice because of a neck injury as Cleveland worked through its preparations for Tennessee, while Grant Delpit was back on the field in a limited role after clearing the concussion-related step that had kept him sidelined.
Beyond those two, the list was crowded with familiar maintenance-day and status-check names, from Carson Schwesinger and Elgton Jenkins to Mason Graham, KC Concepcion, Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. For a Browns team trying to get settled before facing the Titans, the bigger issue is less the length of the report than how many key contributors still need to make it through the week without another surprise. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Defense Suddenly Has A Big Week 7 Problem
The Browns are heading into Week 7 with more uncertainty on defense than they would like this time of year. Quincy Williams sat out practice because of a neck injury, Mason Graham has already missed the past two games while working through knee and ankle issues, and Grant Delpit is still in concussion protocol as Cleveland gets ready to face the Titans.
For a unit that has been one of the clearest pillars of the team, the timing is less than ideal. Cleveland has not yet offered any update on how any of those situations might play out for Sunday, leaving the Browns to navigate a short week with several key defenders in limbo. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Extension Debate Is Getting Harder To Ignore
The Browns are already staring down a 2027 free-agent class that could force some early decisions, and a few names stand out for different reasons. Maliek Collins and Ronnie Hickman have given Cleveland enough on-field reason to keep the conversation going, while Andre Szmyts place in the mix is still tied to how the team views his longer-term role. Even Deshaun Watson remains part of that contract picture, which only adds to the amount of planning the front office has to do as it looks ahead.
What makes the situation harder to ignore is that these are not just placeholder names on a calendar. Cleveland has to balance present production against future flexibility, and the way these players are performing now will shape whether the Browns consider extensions, new deals or a more cautious path. Some of these futures feel manageable, others much less so, and the decisions around them could end up saying plenty about how the organization wants to build the roster beyond this stretch. [Read more 🡒]