Browns TE Connor Hamlett Looks to Become No. 2 Option Behind Gary Barnidge

The Cleveland Browns have always found talent in unknown players, and when it came to a player they drafted, most of the time there was no talent there.

A player that has been turning heads at training camp is Connor Hamlett, a 6-foot-7 tight end from Oregon State. The loss of veteran backup tight end Jim Dray this offseason to the Buffalo Bills opens up a backup role for Hamlett and he is looking quite sharp in practice.

Hamlett talked about a knee injury that has been bothering him lately and how he is overcoming obstacles and ready to produce this season. “I took some time off and just had to recover my body a little bit. It took a little convincing,” Hamlett said Monday afternoon, “but my agent knew I was going to get a shot.”

Head coach Hue Jackson complimented him in a recent interview.

“He’s done great. That guy is tall,” head coach Hue Jackson said, laughing. “He’s got long arms. You can kind of throw it up there and he goes and gets it. He’s done a great job. I’ve been really pleased with him. One thing about him, the guy is really accountable. He’s always here. He’s always out here competing. I’m very, very impressed with the things he has done.”

Gary Barnidge is the starting tight end on the roster no doubt about that, but if you have a player that is 6-foot-7 and is impressing coaches at training camp, well it’s definitely a sight to see.