‘Lane Kiffin reached out’ – Cleveland Browns are stuck in the middle of a wild scenario with one player
We live in a wildly unique era of college sports where a player currently on the Cleveland Browns is in the NCAA transfer portal.
The Cleveland Browns tight end room lacks proven depth behind star Harold Fannin Jr., and a wild storyline developing around one of their rookies is making that situation even more interesting.
Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright has entered the NCAA transfer portal despite being on Cleveland’s roster, opening the door for a potential return to college football.
Wright originally signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent before the Browns claimed him off waivers. A judge granted a fifth year of eligibility for class of 2022 players, which is why Wright is leaving the door open to go back to school. He was a four-year producer in college, recording 635 receiving yards and five touchdowns for Ole Miss in 2025. Wright posted at least 200 receiving yards in each of the previous three seasons, with his first two college years coming at Virginia Tech.
Lane Kiffin’s potential interest in a Cleveland Browns player
LSU Tigers coach Lane Kiffin coached Wright at Ole Miss for his final two college seasons, and it appears Kiffin may have interest in bringing the tight end to Baton Rouge. After Cleveland’s preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, Browns coach Todd Monken revealed the connection.
“I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out a week ago, now I know,” Monken said. “S***, I didn’t know, now I know. I didn’t call him back, guess I should’ve.”
The sport badly needs guardrails in place, and they just don’t have them right now. We’re potentially seeing players who have suited up in preseason games and practiced with NFL teams consider returning to college. Wright was dressed and ready to play against the Bills on Saturday but did not see the field because he hadn’t been practicing due to an injury. He was in pads and available if Cleveland needed him.
Cleveland’s tight end depth beyond Fannin is largely unproven. The Browns put multiple tight ends on the field against the Bills, and seventh-round rookie Carsen Ryan may have looked the best of the group. Still, losing Wright to the transfer portal would thin an already shallow position group.
Kiffin reaching out to Monken weeks before the college season starts to potentially lure a player off an NFL roster is just another example of how college football’s current landscape operates without guardrails. It probably won’t be the last time something like this happens, and the Browns are caught in the middle of it right now.
