The Cleveland Browns have set their initial 53-man roster after cutting down from 90 players, and waiver claims came and went on Monday. 

Now that we’re into Tuesday, the Browns’ Week 1 roster against the Jacksonville Jaguars is starting to take shape. 

There are still going to be some changes between now and the opener on the road, and one area Cleveland could stand to add a body is tight end.

Browns need proven depth behind Harold Fannin Jr.

It makes a ton of sense for the Browns to add another tight end because past Harold Fannin Jr., who is the star of the room, they don’t have a ton of proven work behind him. Carsen Ryan is a seventh-round pick who showed some flashes in the preseason, but he doesn’t look ready to step in and give the team 15-plus snaps a game. Blake Whiteheart spent time with the Browns last season, but he’s best suited as a third tight end on the roster.

Cleveland could be well suited to pursue former Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson, who was cut on Monday. Hudson spent the last three years with the Bengals, playing in 38 games and catching 77 passes for 674 yards and four touchdowns. 

Last season, Hudson caught 19 passes for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 15 games. He’s a backup tight end, but he’s suitable in his role. The former Super Bowl champion is 6-foot-5, 241 pounds. 

How did Tanner Hudson end up a free agent? 

A to Z Sports’ John Sheeran provided some insight on what’s going on with Hudson: 

“The Bengals moving on from Hudson was pretty surprising. He’s developed a rapport with Joe Burrow over the last three years and is a natural backup for Mike Gesicki. Receiving comes pretty natural to him, and while he doesn’t play often, he usually shows up when called upon. What makes this surprising is that he didn’t even dress for the final preseason game, a usual sign of safety to make the team. It appears he became the sacrifice once Cincinnati successfully claimed offensive tackle Myles Hinton off waivers. Hudson doesn’t have to clear waivers as a vested veteran, so maybe there’s a handshake deal for him to come back to the practice squad. It’s up to him whether or not he takes an opportunity elsewhere.”

The Browns don’t have a proven, reliable second option behind Fannin right now, and it’s an area where they could use an improvement. Rookie Joe Royer is on the non-football injury list to start the season for Cleveland, leaving the depth chart even thinner than it already was.

It’s possible Hudson could simply return to Cincinnati on the practice squad. If the Browns were to offer him a spot on the 53-man roster, though, they would be able to get him. Competition for Hudson could come from around the league as more teams look for tight end depth. It’s not a lock that he returns to the Bengals, and it’s not a lock Cleveland gets him.

Still, it should be a path the Browns take a look to go down. Hudson is a player they’ve gone up against in the AFC North, and he wouldn’t have to travel far to join the team. The fit makes too much sense for what the Browns could use.