What free agents in the Top 30 should the Cleveland Browns consider?
By Chad Porto
16. TE Dalton Schultz
The Cleveland Browns shockingly enough need a tight end. David Njoku is inconsistent but good enough to keep around for the short-term, and Harrison Bryant has shown some flashes, but with his deal about to end, and Njoku needing a big year in 2023 to justify his contract, the team may want to bring in a third tight end like Dalton Schultz.
While it may not make a lot of sense financially to bring in Schultz while the team has Njoku, the fact is Njoku has been and continues to be a bad blocker. Not only that, but he’s somehow getting worse, posting a career-worse 52.4 on PFF.
Schultz is a fine enough receiver that you won’t lose much by having him out on the field over Njoku, and you can probably get him on a far better deal than Njoku got. Plus, should Njoku’s contract start to out-pace his production, Schultz could be an option long-term. That is unless the team goes into a full rebuild in a few years.
The hope is that if you sign Schultz, you play him with Njoku like the Browns were hoping to do with Austin Hopper and Njoku. With the lack of high-end receivers on the market, it may be better to bring in a guy like Schultz and have Njoku play more in the slot or formally at receiver.