The Browns on Saturday completed their first free agent addition on the offensive side of the ball with the addition of TE Jordan Akins.
Here are five things to know about the Browns' newest tight end.
1. A career-best season in 2022
Akins, who was drafted by the Texans in the third round in 2018, had the best season of his career in 2022, setting career-highs with 495 receiving yards and a team-leading five touchdowns. He was targeted 54 times and caught 37 passes, which led all Texans tight ends.
Pro Football Focus also gave Akins a 72.4 overall grade for the season, which was the highest of his career. His 61.3 pass block grade was his highest since 2019, when it was 61.7.
2. Connection with Watson
Browns QB Deshaun Watson was the first quarterback of Akins' career for his first two seasons in 2018 and 2019. He was mostly the second tight end in the offense behind Ryan Griffin in that first season and caught 17 passes for 225 yards with no touchdowns but saw more productivity in Year 2 with Watson, catching 36 passes for 418 yards with two touchdowns.
Check out photos of TE Jordan Akins, who is joining the Browns after catching a career-best five touchdowns last year
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) celebrates after a touchdown catch during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, October 30, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) runs with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) carries against New Orleans Saints cornerback Eli Apple (25) in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) walks off the field after an NFL Football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) catches a pass for a first down against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins makes a catch during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) lines up for the snap during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) lines up for the snap during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, December 18, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) during warm-ups before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins (88) runs downfield after a catch during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
3. Started in baseball
Akins began his college career at UCF as a football player but then changed his pro sport aspirations when he was drafted in the third round by the Rangers in the 2010 MLB Draft.
Akins spent four seasons in the minor leagues as an outfielder and batted .218 in the Rangers' farm system. He played in 321, hitting 24 home runs with 124 RBIs and stole 42 bases. He returned to UCF to pursue football again in 2014 and played in 10 games that year, catching 12 passes for 135 yards.
4. Highest TE draft pick at UCF
After suffering an injury early his sophomore season, Akins took a medical redshirt and found more production his last two years with the Knights, catching 55 passes for 862 yards and six touchdowns in his redshirt sophomore and junior seasons. That led him to becoming a third-round draft pick, which is the highest any tight end from UCF had been drafted.
5. Where he fits
Akins becomes the fourth tight end on the Browns depth chart, joining David Njoku, Harrison Bryant and Zaire Mitchell-Paden. He's the second-most experienced player in the tight end room and, at 6-foot-4 and 249 pounds, is a few pounds bigger than Njoku, who is 6-foot-4 and 249-pounds.
