Tag Archives: David Njoku

What to do with David Njoku?

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With unrestricted free agency on the horizon, what should the Cleveland Browns do when it comes to David Njoku?

There have been discussions on top of discussions on top of discussions when it comes the future of David Njoku in Cleveland. Coming into the league Njoku was a raw prospect who had athletic gifts, but needed to refine his route running, blocking, and catching. While he has improved in certain areas, the reality is that he is still a player who relies on his athletic gifts rather than technical skills on a regular basis.

In five seasons, David Njoku has 148 receptions, 1,754 yard, and 15 touchdowns over 65 career games. Njoku’s best season came in 2018, catching 56 passes for 639 yards and four touchdowns. Since then Njoku has totaled just 60 receptions for 729 yards and seven touchdowns. While there are plenty of factors in play over his carer, most notably injuries and simply not being part of the game plan, his numbers when examined on a per game basis are hardly impressive.

Over his career David Njoku averages just 2.3 receptions, 27 yards, and 0.23 touchdowns per game. Austin Hooper, a player that is on the cusp of being run out of town, has averaged 2.9 receptions, 27 yards, and 0.24 touchdowns in 29 games with the Browns. Interesting that one player is being championed for a new expensive deal while another has become the poster child of swing and miss signings by this regime with near identical statistics. The key difference is that Hooper has shown he is significantly more productive than this in the three prior seasons in Atlanta. From 2017-19 Hooper averaged 4.3 receptions, 43.8 yards, and 0.29 touchdowns per game (195 receptions, 1,973 yards, and 13 touchdowns total). This is in addition to Hooper being a significantly better blocker than Njoku has any hope of ever becoming.

Cleveland must identify which is the path towards improving the team next season and whether or not signing another tight end to a big contract is in their best interest, regardless of whether or not Hooper is still on the team. With how inconsistent David Njoku has been over the course of his career and the fact he has requested a trade multiple times, perhaps it would be better for the Browns to let the soon-to-be 26-year old walk. The team could then allocate any funds that may have been used on a contract extension for other, more pressing positions of need such as multiple wide receivers, defensive tackles, and defensive ends. Shoring up those areas would make a significantly larger impact on their success over keeping a marginal tight end for nostalgias sake.

Browns activate Njoku, Carlson

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After placing player after player on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Cleveland Browns activated two players on Thursday.

While players continue to test positive for COVID-19, the Cleveland Browns were able to activate two players from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Cleveland has activated tight ends David Njoku and Stephen Carlson.

Njoku missed the narrow win over the Baltimore Ravens last week while Carlson is out for the season with a knee injury making his activation just a procedural move.

With Austin Hooper currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list, activating Njoku is huge. While Njoku is having a rather pedestrian season (27 receptions, 407 yards, three touchdowns), it is about bodies at this point with growing list of COVID positives on the roster.

 

 

David Njoku placed on reserve/COVID-19 list

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The Cleveland Browns are placing the tight end on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

When the Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens for the second time in three weeks Sunday they may be doing so without the services of David Njoku. Njoku has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Browns Tuesday.

While David Njoku has continued to struggle in the production department, his absence will be felt when they face Baltimore Sunday. In their last meeting the Ravens sold out to stop the run, forcing the anemic Browns passing attack to beat them. Unfortunately Cleveland was not able to make them truly pay besides a touchdown to Njoku which really was not a touchdown. 

David Njoku has 27 receptions on 40 targets for 407 yards and three touchdowns this season. Njoku has caught more than three passes just once this season and eclipsed 39 yards twice (76, 149). There have been eight games which Njoku has recorded 20 yards or less this season, including a game with zero receptions for zero yards on zero targets in the Week 3 win over Chicago. As much as people wanted Njoku to be a key cog in the Browns offense this season, he is failing yet again to be much of a factor on week-in week-out basis.

Browns run out of juice late, lose 47-42 to Chargers

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The Cleveland Browns came close, but ultimately fell short in Los Angeles as the Chargers come away with a shootout win.

The story of the Cleveland Browns 47-42 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers can be told in the final two drives of the game. While up just one with 3:15 to go, the Browns ran the ball twice including on 3rd and 10 before punting to the Chargers in what ended up being a game-winning scoring drive. Now trailing with 1:31 left in the 4th it was time for the Browns to pass the ball, enter Baker Mayfield.

The problem is that Mayfield did what he did all game for the most part, completed short passes and hoped that yards could be gained after the catch. Unlike earlier in the game that was not the case as it took the Browns 50 seconds to go just 12 yards. Cleveland’s chances ended on three unsuccessful deep throws from Mayfield and turning the ball over on downs with just five seconds left. A major reason why the Browns came up short in this game is the limitations of Mayfield.

Outside of a couple throws, Mayfield lived on short throws and yards after the catch. 21 of 23 completions from Mayfield are considered short throws, which is a trend that is not new. When Mayfield has been successful this season it has been when throwing short and relying on his receivers to make a play. While over 60 minutes it can produce impressive numbers, such as Mayfield’s 23-32 for 305 yards and two touchdowns. The problem arises when the ball is needed to pushed down the field in a comeback situation and it does not happen. While the excess of short throws could be a result of his injured shoulder, this has been the theme of the passing game this season.

Rushing attack keeps on chugging along

Part of the reason why Mayfield has been able to get away with throwing a lot of short throws and being successful has been the Browns rushing attack. Nick Chubb carried the ball 21 times for 161 yards and one touchdown while Kareem Hunt ran 12 times for 61 yards and two touchdowns. The heart and should of the Browns offense continues to be the dynamic duo of Chubb and Hunt.

Njoku and DPJ

Two players who made surprising impacts in the passing game were David Njoku and Donvoan Peoples-Jones. Njoku made an incredible play resulting in a 71-yard touchdown reception, just part of his seven catch 149 yard performance. Peoples-Jones finished with the second-most receptions (5) and yards (70) for Cleveland. While Njoku has been up and way down this season, Peoples-Jones has been a no-show, encouraging performances from both.

Missing: Odell Beckham Jr.

The most confusing aspect of the Browns offense continues on for another week. Baker Mayfield simply cannot connect with Odell Beckham Jr. While Beckham did have the costly drop on 4th and 2, he was only targeted three times in the contest finishing with just two receptions for 20 yards. A major factor in his lack of production definitely falls on the shoulders of Mayfield. Mayfield does not even appear to consider throwing in his direction an option as he completes short throw after short throw. Simply put, Mayfield appears afraid to throw the ball downfield and that has a direct impact on just what Beckham can do in a game. Until the quarterback stops being gun-shy, Beckham’s numbers will continue to suffer.

Injuries, injuries, injuries 

The Browns came into the game without Jedrick Wills, Chris Hubbard, and Jadeveon Clowney. During the game Cleveland also lost Jack Conklin and Denzel Ward for the game, two key payers on both sides of the ball. Also exiting at one point was Myles Garrett, AJ Green, Malik McDowell, and Troy Hill. Health was not Cleveland’s friend and did not make things easy as they battled a superior team on the road.

Defense

The less said about this unit, the better.

Not so special history

The Cleveland Browns made history in this game and not the good kind. This was the first time a team lost when either scoring 40 points and having zero turnovers, or scoring 40 points, totaling 500 yards, and having zero turnovers according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

David Njoku looking for new deal with Browns

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The Browns tight end and former first round pick has told his agent he wants a new deal to remain in Cleveland. 

Like the cleaning of a house, the David Njoku saga never ends. Just after recently leaving Drew Rosenhaus to return to his former agent, Njoku has reportedly told his representation to try to get a new deal with the Browns.

Njoku claims that the switch in representation was due to trying to get a new deal done that would not materialize, but nobody hires Rosenahus to get a new deal done in Cleveland, it’s to get out of Cleveland.

There are several contract extension candidates currently on the roster and David Njoku is firmly behind them. Denzel Ward, Baker Mayfield, Ronnie Harrison, and Wyatt Teller all have claims to new deals before Njoku’s name should even be mentioned. As far as new deal is concerned, that does not necessarily bode well with those four ahead of him and the fact that only three seem likely to get new contracts.

The prior list is before taking into account the other tight ends on the roster. The Browns signed Austin Hooper to a big deal in free agency last season and spent another resource in the draft on Harrison Bryant. That is before considering the now out for season Stephen Carlson, who was a major presence in special teams play. The fact that Carlson is now out could be a source of leverage for Njoku and his camp knowing that the Browns need at least three, preferably four tight ends to effectively run their offense. The timing of this desire for a new deal in Cleveland just happened to be known after the injury to Carlson.

With all of that being said, a new deal for David Njoku should only be done on a bargain basement type deal. Cleveland has spent a ton of money on the offensive side of the ball already making it hard to justify signing another tight end to a deal with an extension for Mayfield looming and the need to sort out the situations with Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. (side note: hopefully Andrew Berry and Co. can figure out a way to keep those two in the mix for the foreseeable future).

The reality of the situation is that while Njoku has improved over his four seasons in the NFL, he is still a very raw player. Investing a large sum of money into these type of players is not necessarily wise. In 13 games last season, in an offense that is supposed to emphasize the tight ends, Njoku caught just 19 passes on 29 targets for 213 yards, and two touchdowns, the lowest numbers of his career when excluding the disastrous 2019 season, (for reference, Bryant was targeted 38 times and Hooper 70 last season).

Considering that the Browns already have a ton of money invested in the offense, the need to extend other offensive players as well, and the fact more defensive help is needed in the very near future, there just may not be a world where an extension for David Njoku in Cleveland happens.

 

This Is Believeland – Real Browns Fans Podcast Ep. 11

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This Is Believeland – Real Browns Fans Podcast Episode 11: James and Jordan discuss some player updates, the Browns win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Guys or Dudes: Linebacker edition.

Browns Preseason Win, JOK, And Linebackers by This Is Believeland

David Njoku changes representation

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The Cleveland Browns tight end is no longer represented by super agent Drew Rosenhaus as he recently changed representation. 

Last season it the roster status of David Njoku appeared to be tenuous at best. The Browns signed Austin Hooper to large contract and drafted Harrison Bryant, two players that play the exact same position. To the surprise of no one Njoku requested a trade and changed representation, hiring Drew Rosenhaus who just happens to have a superpower of getting players out of Cleveland. Njoku eventually did rescind his trade request after the Browns made it known they were intent on keeping him.

After a year or so of being represented by Rosenhaus, David Njoku decided to return to his former agent.

While Njoku has said publicly about his desire to remain in Cleveland, the fact he fired Rosenhaus after a trade failing to materialize is certainly interesting. Considering the fact that the one thing Njoku hired Rosenahus for did not happen the change is not necessarily surprising. Perhaps this is a sign of something that Njoku is still looking to happen.

This Is Believeland – Real Browns Fans Podcast Ep. 9

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This Is Believeland – Real Browns Fans Podcast Episode 9: James and Jordan discuss Donovan Peoples-Jones in addition to the rest of the receiver room, Geoff Schwartz comments on Baker Mayfield, and Guys or Dudes: Skill Position Edition.

Browns Receivers, DPJ at camp, and More by This Is Believeland

Njoku, Conklin should play for Browns

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The Cleveland Browns should have two players who came into Sunday listed as questionable.

When the Cleveland Browns take on the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday they should have the services of Jack Conklin and David Njoku.

Cleveland needs all hands on deck as they are facing a very potent offense. If the Browns find themselves in a situation where they have to play catchup, having Conklin and Njoku will certainly help. It may not be enough in the end, but it is better to have them than not.