It sounds like current Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku might be with a new team by the start of the 2020 regular season.
According to Adam Schefter on Friday, Njoku, who was selected 29th overall in the first-round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Miami by the Browns, has now asked the team to trade him. While the Browns have reportedly told Njoku they would like to keep him, the tight end’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has told them he’s intent on being traded and before training camp gets underway later this month.
“It is in David’s best interest to find a new team at this time,” Rosenhaus said, according to Schefter.
Njoku wanting out of Cleveland shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. After all, the Browns did sign former Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper this offseason during free agency and made him the highest-paid at his position in the process. The Browns also then proceeded to select tight end Harrison Bryant in the fourth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Perhaps the biggest surprise in all of this is that it’s taken this long for Njoku to ask the Browns to trade him.
Njoku, who will turn 24 years of age in less than two weeks from today, had his fifth-year option picked up the Browns earlier in the offseason. Last season, Njoku suffered a concussion and broken wrist during the Browns Week 2 game and it resulted in him being placed on the team’s Reserve/Injured list. He was activated back to the Browns 53-man roster in December. He played in just four games last season and caught five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.
While the Steelers seemingly had some level of interest in Njoku prior to the 2017 NFL Draft, it’s hard to imagine them trading for him now and especially after signing tight end Eric Ebron to a two-year, $12 million contract during free agency.
Njoku is scheduled to earn just $1,763,910 in 2020 and $6.013 million in 2021 after his fifth-year option was picked up by the Browns. Don’t be surprised if a team such as the New England Patriots winds up trading for Njoku as that’s one of the most logical fits for him currently.
For his career, Njoku has caught 93 passes for 1,066 yards and 9 touchdowns in 36 games played in.
