The Cleveland Browns could be parting ways with a rookie ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Cleveland selected tight end Joe Royer in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Cincinnati. Royer was expected to be a key offensive threat and Harold Fannin Jr.’s backup.
However, as training camp has begun, Royer is away from the team due to personal reasons. Unfortnately, because of that, Browns insider Zac Jackson of The Athletic revealed it’s now unlikely he will make the 53-man roster.
“Rookie Joe Royer remains away from the team for personal reasons. Royer was a near-lock to make the roster, but the more time he misses, the less certain it is that he’ll be a part of the 2026 plans. Fellow rookie Carsen Ryan is getting snaps at tight end and fullback as he tries to win a roster spot. There’s a lot to be settled, but there’s a rising star in Fannin,” Jackson wrote.
Royer is a 6-foot-5 tight end who can be a pass catcher but can also block well if needed. At Cincinnati last season, he recorded 29 receptions for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns, while the year prior, he had 50 receptions for 522 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Browns Had High Expectations for Royer
Cleveland selected Royer in the fifth round, and he was expected to add to the offense.
After the NFL Draft, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said they liked what Royer could bring to the offense.
“Joe has size, really good hands,” Berry said following the draft. “He is a player that can produce both in the Y, which is kind of your traditional inline role, and the F role, which is a little bit more of a receiving role. So to have that flexibility in the room is helpful and important.”
Yet, Royer has been away from the team due to personal reasons, which haven’t been revealed. While he was away, Berry also broke the team’s silence on the matter.
“Out of respect to him and his privacy, I’m not going to go into the details other than to say that he has our full support,” Berry said. “We’re really happy that he’s focused on kind of resolving this matter. I don’t have a definite timeline in terms of when he’s going to be back, but when he does return, which will hopefully be sooner rather than later, we’ll get him ramped up quickly and reintegrated in everything.”
Royer had a chance to earn the backup tight end spot in camp, and now he may not even make the roster.
Fannin Jr. Impressing in Camp
Although Royer was expected to be a key part of the offense, Fannin is the team’s starting tight end.
During training camp, Browns head coach Todd Monken had high praise for Fannin and what he brings to the offense.
“[Fannin] looked really good last week. And he’s still a young player, still a developing player, but what a great mindset,” Monken claimed. “[Fannin] wants to be better, works awfully hard… One thing I did not know that I saw last year is his yards after contact. I didn’t see that at Bowling Green; maybe I didn’t study hard enough, but he is hard to tackle.”
Fannin recorded 72 receptions for 731 yards and 6 touchdowns last season.
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