Browns TE Seth DeValve knows his days may be growing short

Cleveland Browns tight end Seth DeValve knows that the clock may be ticking on his time with the Browns.

But he is still hoping that there is enough time to show the team he deserves a roster spot before Saturday’s NFL-mandated roster cutdown.

DeValve, who is entering his fourth season with the Browns, looked to be a solid second tight end in 2017 when he had 33 receptions for 398 yards and a touchdown. But a quad injury stalled his progress in the preseason, and once he was healthy DeValve finished the year with just five receptions for 74 yards.

It has been more of the same this year as DeValve missed three weeks of training camp - and the first two preseason games - with a concussion. He was finally able to get on the field last Friday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but only had one pass thrown his way.

DeValve did lineup in the backfield as a fullback for four plays, however, which may be an avenue for him to claim a roster spot this year.

The Browns released tight end Orson Charles - who filled the fullback role last season - on August 11, a day after they signed Joe Kerridge, who is a traditional fullback.

Kerridge has been dealing with his own concussion, which means the Browns will likely turn once again to DeValve in Thursday night’s preseason finale against the Detroit Lions.

DeValve is hoping that he can prover versatile enough to claim a roster spot, as he told clevelandbrowns.com on Tuesday:

“I have a lot of roles. It is kind of one of the things I do. I do a lot of different things. It keeps it interesting and it keeps it fun. Everybody is fighting for a job. I particularly am fighting for a job. I take it one day at a time, come out here and I am not thinking about the results. I am just thinking about doing the best I can today, make sure I am having fun and see what happens.

“I think I have a lot more to show. I believe my opportunity will come to show what I can do.”

After starter David Njoku, the Browns tight end position is not the league’s most dynamic. Rico Gathers was a washout with the Dallas Cowboys, and Demetrius Harris did not do all that much in his five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Browns will likely open the season with three tight ends, so if DeValve can show he is healthy, willing and capable of taking on the fullback role, he has a chance extend his time in Cleveland for another year.