Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns are coming off another disappointing season. The Browns finished the season with a 5-12 mark, last in the AFC North. Cleveland’s quarterback room has been under a microscope ever since the acquisition of Deshaun Watson and the arrival of Sanders only bolstered the scrutiny.
Sanders was the talk of the 2025 NFL Draft. After many projected him as a first-round pick, he slid to the fifth round, going 144th overall to Cleveland. The Colorado Buffaloes product was buried on the depth chart to begin the year before being elevated to a starter in Week 12, a role he maintained all year. The son of former Dallas Cowboys legend Deion Sanders, Shedeur is used to the spotlight, and his time on the Browns has been no different.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) signals at Huntington Bank Field.Imagn Images
(Imagn Images)
And for his second NFL season, Sanders will be getting a familiar face back.
Blake Whiteheart is a 6-foot-4 tight end in his third NFL season. The tight end started his journey with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. As an unsung prospect out of high school, he redshirted his freshman season after three games. It wasn’t until the 2022 season that he truly broke out.
Whiteheart started his last year in college at a scorching pace, scoring in three of his first four games. The hometown kid broke out with 295 yards on 24 catches to go along with three touchdowns. He had career highs with catches in a game against the Louisville Cardinals with four and in receiving yards with 60 against the Duke Blue Devils. Whiteheart was recognized by being named to the All-ACC Academic Team, the 2022 John Mackey Award Watch List, along with being invited to the 2023 East-West Shrine Game.
Whiteheart was signed to the Arizona Cardinals after not being selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. In 2024, after being released by the Cardinals, he was signed to the Browns’ practice squad. He eventually secured his footing in the league and has spent his last two seasons with Cleveland. Whitehead played in all 17 games for the Browns last year, hauling in two catches for four yards.
On Monday, Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported that the Browns have made a decision on the young tight end.
“#Browns announce they’ve re-signed TE Blake Whiteheart,” wrote Cabot on X.
The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 6 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, which begins on April 23.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.