The Browns made a noteworthy trade Tuesday when they sent quarterback Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick to the division rival Bengals for a fifth-rounder. With the Nov. 4 trade deadline nearing, the Browns may not be done shipping out players. Cornerback Greg Newsome and tight end David Njoku are among the names to watch leading up to the deadline, according to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports.
Newsome has been a career-long Brown since they selected him 26th overall in the 2021 draft. He has since started in 47 of 59 games, including all five this year, and totaled three interceptions. Newsome came up in trade rumors multiple times during the offseason.
A deal never came together, though, and the former first-round cornerback made it clear in August that he wanted to remain a Brown for the rest of his career. The team then lost Martin Emerson for the season, giving Newsome more role stability. Emerson has played 95% of Cleveland’s defensive snaps through five games.
Newsome may want to stay in Cleveland, but he’s facing an uncertain future as a soon-to-be free agent. He’s due to reach the open market in March after playing this season under his his fifth-year option (worth $13.38MM). The Browns could move the 25-year-old for draft-pick compensation in the next few weeks if they don’t plan to retain him during the offseason.
Njoku, now in his ninth year, joins Newsome as a career-long Brown and a pending free agent. He surfaced in trade rumors alongside Newsome around this time last year. As is the case with Newsome, though, he has yet to change hands.
In the first three seasons after inking a four-year, $56.75MM extension in May 2022, Njoku averaged 14 games, 68 catches, 100 targets, 672 yards and five touchdowns per campaign. Five games into 2025, Njoku is on a similar pace, having racked up 20 catches on 30 targets for 195 yards and a TD.
Among Browns pass catchers, Njoku’s 84.4 percent snap share ranks second behind wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (86.4). It’s also worth noting that he showed chemistry with Dillon Gabriel in the rookie quarterback’s first start last week, catching six of nine targets for 67 yards and a score.
Although Njoku remains a key figure in the Browns’ offense, they could feel comfortable parting with him thanks to the emergence of rookie tight end Harold Fannin. The third-round pick from Bowling Green has played 72.4 percent of the Browns’ offensive snaps and hauled in 21 of 28 targets for 173 yards and a TD. Fannin has impressed the Browns enough that his role in their offense could increase, per Dan Graziano of ESPN. That may help usher Njoku out of town in the coming weeks. At the very least, the 1-4 team’s tight end position will be worth monitoring as Fannin continues to adjust to the NFL game.