The Cleveland Browns can still turn their season around.
They have one of the easiest schedules remaining in the league, and while it won’t be easy and they need to make some big adjustments, they still have a chance.
Nevertheless, not many 1-5 teams make the playoffs.
As such, some expect them to offload several veteran players.
If that’s the case, David Njoku should be a logical candidate to be traded.
With that in mind, Bradley Locker of ProFootballFocus pointed to the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers as two teams that could potentially be interested in the veteran tight end:
“One of the better receiving tight ends in football over the last few years, Njoku’s 70.1 PFF receiving grade since 2023 ranks 18th among qualifiers at the position. This season, Njoku has matched that production with a 67.0 receiving mark, yet only 1.17 yards per route run — his lowest since 2019. For as ferocious as the Browns’ defense looks this year, the team sits at 1-5 and ranks 30th in the PFF Power Rankings. Cleveland has also deployed rookie Harold Fannin Jr. at an increasing rate, with the Bowling Green product playing just 42 fewer snaps than Njoku. With Njoku in a contract year, teams like the Chargers and Broncos — who rank 31st and and 25th in overall PFF grade at tight end this year, respectively — would be intrigued,” Locker wrote.
Njoku hasn’t had the season some people expected him to have, but given the Browns’ offensive situation, it’s hard to point the finger at him.
The Browns already have a suitable replacement, as Harold Fannin Jr. looks more than ready to embrace a bigger workload and be their guy for years to come.
The team didn’t give Njoku a contract extension, and while he’s a big presence in the locker room, they might be tempted to get his salary off the books instead.
He’s a very good player when he’s healthy, and he would also benefit from having a gunslinger who can make some throws down the field, which isn’t necessarily the case in Cleveland.
Right now, there’s no need to think about moving on from him, but if the Browns fail to beat the slumping Miami Dolphins at home, it might be time to give up on the season.
NEXT: Browns Urged To Make Major Organizational Change
