Cleveland Browns: 5 preseason position battles taking shape for 2019

3. Charles vs DeValve, 3rd TE

Seth DeValve sure looked like he was on the bubble last season, but managed to hang onto his roster spot despite missing a significant chunk of training camp with a calf injury.

It will be harder for DeValve to keep his spot now, because the Browns are deeper at the position. Behind David Njoku, the Browns also added Demetrius Harris from the Kansas City Chiefs.

While The Chief is thought of as a receiving target, Harris is regarded as an excellent blocker.

Orson Charles has a history of blocking well, too, but back when he was in college, the seventh-year veteran caught 45 passes in his final season with Georgia.

This isn’t out to make him into someone who’s all of a sudden going to be a breakout pass catching tight end. He has 14 career catches. I wrote this to show that the ability for him to catch the ball gives the Browns options.

DeValve was a fourth-round pick of Sashi Brown during the 2016 NFL Draft.

He broke out in 2017 with 33 catches for 395 yards, but that has to be taken into perspective. The Browns didn’t win a game that season. How does DeValve fit into this team, which is expected to contend for the AFC North championship?

Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto also hinted that Brush High school precut Pharaoh Brown could be a name to watch as the offseason progresses. He played at Oregon before suffering a brutal leg injury during the 2015 season.

Brown made it back in 2016, catching 33 passes and five touchdowns for the 2016 Ducks.

General manager John Dorsey signed him to the practice squad last season and even activated him, but bad luck struck again, as Brown couldn’t play because of a shoulder injury in December.

Pluto added the Browns want to see more of the 6-foot-6, 258 pounder.