The Browns hosted free agent tight end Jordan Akins on a visit starting Thursday. He signed a deal Friday, as the Browns look to upgrade the No. 2 tight end spot behind David Njoku.
He’ll be reunited with quarterback Deshaun Watson. They played together for the Texans from 2018-20.
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Akins (6-4, 243), who turns 31 in April, was a third-round pick of the Texans in 2018 out of Central Florida and has started 26 of 73 games.
Akins has 151 catches for 1,755 yards, an 11.6 average and eight touchdowns. He’s coming off his best season, when he started three of 15 games, catching 37 passes for 495 yards, a 13.4 average and five touchdowns.
Harrison Bryant, a fourth-round pick of the Browns in 2020, had 31 catches for 239 yards and a touchdown last year as the No. 2 tight end. For his three years, he has 76 catches for 710 yards and seven TDs.
PAY BUMP
Receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones was rewarded for his strong season.
He earned an additional $717,642 in performance-based pay distribution, a pool of money given to players with higher playtime percentages and lower salaries. Players will receive $336 million in the collectively bargained benefit.
Peoples-Jones made $895,000 in salary in 2022 as part of his four-year, $3.481 million rookie contract. He set career highs with 61 catches for 839 yards and tied his best with three touchdown catches. He played all 17 games with 14 starts.
