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Browns FA: Grading the signing of Jack Stoll

METAIRIE, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 2: Jack Stoll #88 of the New Orleans Saints catches a pass during a training camp practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on August 2, 2025 in Metairie, Louisiana. (Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was at a crossroads with the tight end position heading into free agency.

Berry had secured a talented pass catcher at the position with the selection of Harold Fannin Jr. in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. All Fannin did as a rookie was lead the team in receptions (72), receiving yards (731), and receiving touchdowns (6).

With Fannin locked in at one spot, Berry had to decide what to do with veteran tight end David Njoku, who in nine seasons had climbed the franchise’s all-time list to sit third in receptions (384), 12th in receiving yards (4,062), and sixth in receiving touchdowns (34).

Injuries had limited Njoku to just 11 games the past two seasons, however, and with Berry needing to balance out the payroll, the decision was made to let Njoku leave in free agency.

It would not be a surprise to see Berry select a tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft, but in the meantime, he added veteran Jack Stoll (28 career receptions) in free agency on a one-year contract to serve as a blocking tight end.

With the first week of free agency in the books, let’s take a look at some opinions on the design to sign Stoll.

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Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling: B-​

A true blocking-first tight end who gives some depth in a room lacking it behind Harold Fannin Jr., Stoll won’t be a big receiving target, but he should be a big part of moving defenders in the run game.

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Bleacher Report: C+​

The Cleveland Browns have a dynamic receiving tight end in second-year man Harold Fannin Jr. With David Njoku hitting free agency, though, they needed additional depth at the position. They’ll get it in the form of blocking tight end Jack Stoll. The 28-year-old appeared in 15 games with four starts with the New Orleans Saints this past season.

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Jack was chopping it up with Coach Monken on his first day! pic.twitter.com/0zFnIXPLco

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) March 13, 2026

A to Z Sports Brandon Little: B+​

While it’s not a splash signing or anything close to it, it’s an important one for the Browns and what they want to do. Cleveland needed to add a blocking tight end who likely will be their third tight end on the roster, and Stoll fits the bill.

Stoll is a 6-foot-4, 247-pound tight end who played his college ball at Nebraska and joined the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Stoll spent just over three seasons with the Eagles before finishing up the 2024 season with the Miami Dolphins.

Most recently, Stoll played 15 games for the Saints in 2025 and made six catches for 46 yards. Stoll’s production has never been much; his best season was in 2022, when he caught 11 passes for 123 yards. The veteran tight end did record his first receiving touchdown in 2025 with the Saints.

Stoll has been an inline tight end for 68.6 percent of his career snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He’s clearly just a guy you want out there to be a physical, extra blocker. It’s known that the Browns were in on former Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard (in free agency), who would have served as the same kind of player in a way.

Cleveland has to run the ball better in 2026, and they have to protect the passer better. Stoll should help them do both of those things. While he’s no lock to make the roster, I think Stoll has everything Cleveland needs from its third tight end.

So there is a sampling of what the national media has to say about the Browns signing Stoll in free agency. Now it is your turn – let us know what you think of Cleveland’s newest tight end in the comments!

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...free-agency-grading-the-signing-of-jack-stoll