Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku has made it clear he wants a trade. The franchise, on the other hand, appears to have different ideas.
Josina Anderson of EPSN shared an update on the situation Monday morning.
Anderson also clarified what “Bears monitoring” means in a separate tweet, noting she didn’t mean to insinuate the Chicago Bears — who famously have loaded up on tight ends — are interested.
David Njoku demanded a trade last week
One day before the 4th of July, Njoku’s agent Drew Rosenhaus shared his client’s desire for a trade. The tight end wants to be traded before training camp, with Rosenhaus noting, “It is in David’s best interest to find a new team at this time.”
This news comes after the Browns made former Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL during the offseason. The thought was that Hooper and Njoku would give quarterback Baker Mayfield a potent duo at the position. However, Njoku seemingly feels like he’s being discounted as a top weapon in light of the big signing.
Clearly, this isn’t an ideal situation.
The stats show David Njoku could become elite
Last season, Njoku suffered an injury in Week 2 that cost him most of the 2019 NFL season. But during the first two seasons of his career he showed promise.
After being selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Miami, he showcased rare playmaking skills during his first two seasons. He also put up nice stats, catching 88 passes for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns between 2017-18.
The biggest issue standing in the way of taking his game to the next level has been consistency. However, he has the elite speed and athleticism teams covet at the tight end position and clearly can become a top weapon in the NFL.
Whether that happens in Cleveland, or somewhere else, remains to be seen.