The Cleveland Browns are one of the worst teams in football, and tight end David Njoku has been a popular trade candidate for months now. A former first-round pick, the Miami product has been one of the most consistent players on the team since entering the league, but all good things must come to an end.
Now entering the final year of his contract, the Cleveland Browns have every reason to trade the 29-year-old tight end, and the Green Bay Packers could be the perfect fit. With Tucker Kraft done for the season, a David Njoku trade could save Green Bay’s season.
Packers, Browns Could Agree to David Njoku Trade
Just about everything that could go wrong for the Packers on Sunday, did go wrong. Quarterback Jordan Love had one of the worst games of his career as the team lost a very winnable game against the Carolina Panthers. The loss was bad enough on its own, but star tight end Tucker Kraft also suffered a torn ACL.
Green Bay has an abundance of pass-catching weapons, but Kraft brought something unique to the table. While he isn’t in the same tier as guys like Brock Bowers or Trey McBride, the third-year veteran is one of the game’s better receiving tight ends. Through eight games, Kraft recorded 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns on 44 targets while earning a 78.1 PFF grade, the sixth-best mark in the league.
Players like Kraft do not grow on trees, and Green Bay simply does not have the roster talent to replace his loss. Luke Musgrave has yet to play up to his draft capital, and John Fitzpatrick is nothing more than a depth piece. The Packers will make the playoffs no matter what they do, but they can increase their odds of winning it all by executing a David Njoku trade.
Why the Browns Would Do It
The Browns season is effectively over, but that doesn’t mean they’ll trade David Njoku for nothing. Even though they don’t stand a chance at the playoffs, there’s still value in having reliable pass-catching weapons. Rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel is under center now, and it probably won’t be long until fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders gets his shot. Tight ends can be an important security blanket for young quarterbacks, and Cleveland won’t get rid of Njoku if they don’t have a reliable Plan B.
Fortunately, they do. Third-round pick Harold Fannin has been one of the few bright spots on this offense. Despite the uneven quarterback play, the rookie has recorded 38 receptions for 352 yards and two touchdowns on 51 targets. He’s currently outproducing Njoku and is effectively the top tight end in the offense, which makes the veteran that much more expendable.
The Browns need all the draft picks they can get to rebuild this offense from the ground up, and the Packers need a veteran tight end to replace Tucker Kraft. The trade deadline is in a few hours, so don’t be surprised if David Njoku is a Packer by the end of the day.
Main Photo: Brian Fluharty – Imagn Images
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