The Browns don’t need a miracle at the trade deadline. They need help in the right spot.
Cleveland is still a team under construction, and while the quarterback situation remains the biggest hole on the roster, replacing Deshaun Watson this season is not realistic. So with the deadline approaching, the smarter play is to target a position that can actually move the offense forward now.
That’s where Charlie Kolar comes in.
The Browns’ tight end room has been in flux for a while, and the front office hasn’t exactly hidden that concern. GM Andrew Berry and head coach Todd Monken selected two tight ends on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, and since Monken arrived, the team has kept cycling veterans through the building. The need for another body in that group is obvious.
Kolar would fit the kind of offense Monken wants to run. He spent years under Monken in Baltimore, so the transition would be clean, and he’d bring something Cleveland is missing: a tight end who can really move people in the run game. He may not be a flashy ball-carrier, but he’s one of the most physical blocking tight ends in football, and that strength showed up in the contract he signed - a three-year, $24 million deal.
The Los Angeles Chargers’ 0-7 start makes them a team the Browns should at least call about. Kolar may not be as easy to move as some other deadline names, but Cleveland has the flexibility to take on his contract.
And the fit makes sense on the field. The Browns have leaned heavily on 11 personnel out of necessity, and Monken would surely welcome another blocker in those groupings.
Cleveland also runs most of its plays from the shotgun, which puts more strain on the ground game. Adding Kolar would give Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson a better shot at cleaner running lanes.
That matters because the Browns don’t want to take Harold Fannin Jr. away from what he does best. He’s an elite tight end and a superstar in the making, and he’s also a willing blocker. But Cleveland needs him as the yards-after-the-catch weapon he is, not as a player asked to spend too much time doing the dirty work.
Rookie Carsen Ryan should get more chances now that he’s back on the active roster, and Blake Whiteheart is still there if the Browns want to live with uninspiring production. But if they want a real external upgrade, Kolar checks a lot of boxes.
He looks like a natural fit for the wide-zone run scheme Monken wants to use, and if the price is right, he could give the Browns exactly what they’re missing.
In Other News...
Browns Deadline Debate Now Centers On Two Starters They Could Move
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, the Browns are still trying to sort out whether they should act like buyers or sellers. The conversation has centered on the obvious needs, with quarterback help and offensive line depth both in the mix, but the more interesting part of the discussion is which current starters might actually be available if Cleveland decides to reshape the roster.
Jerry Jeudy has emerged as a possible trade candidate because of his inconsistent play and the financial side of the equation, while slot cornerback Harden is still starting despite a rough stretch in coverage. The Browns have kept Harden in the lineup even as he has graded below average and allowed a high passer rating when targeted, which leaves Cleveland weighing production against patience as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Verse Is Forcing A Browns Decision Sooner Than Expected
Jared Verses first stretch in Cleveland has become a talking point for reasons the Browns probably did not expect when they brought him in. Through eight games, he still has not recorded a sack, and both his pressure rate and pass-rush win rate have sat near the bottom among qualifying players. Verse has pointed to limited chances in obvious passing situations as part of the explanation, while Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi noted that the opponents on the schedule have also faced a high average conversion distance, which has shaped some of those game scripts.
Even with those caveats, the bigger issue is what comes next for a Cleveland defense that needs more juice up front. The Browns are now staring at two related decisions: whether to pursue another pass rusher before the trade deadline and how to handle Verses contract extension picture. His recent comments on and off the field have already produced mixed reactions, and the longer this search for answers drags on, the more pressure builds for the front office to make a call. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Slow Starts Keep Making Their Biggest Problems Even Worse
The Browns 27-6 loss to the Steelers was another reminder that their issues are piling up in the same places. Cleveland has struggled to run the ball and stop the run, and the early deficits have only made those problems harder to manage. When a team is chasing from the opening quarter, it changes everything, from how it protects the quarterback to how aggressively it can rush the passer.
Todd Monken acknowledged as much after the latest setback, pointing to the difficulty of playing from behind so often. The Browns have been outscored badly in the first quarter this season, and the timing is hardly ideal with Deshaun Watson in concussion protocol and Shedeur Sanders possibly being asked to step in. For a team already fighting to find stability, the slow starts are turning every other flaw into a bigger one. [Read more 🡒]