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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku nearly forced a trade during last year’s training camp, but after buying into the program under reigning Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski and changing agents, he’s ready for a new contract to secure his future.
Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal reported that Njoku will instruct his agent to “work toward a contract extension with Cleveland,” and added some more context to Njoku’s change of heart toward the franchise:
Njoku was the 29th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Miami, and while he’s always flashed the type of potential that would merit such a high selection, his pro career to date has been marred by inconsistency.
Some of Njoku’s uneven performance can be attributed to the perpetual turnover and chaos within the Browns organization. One could hardly blame Njoku for initially wanting a change of scenery when Cleveland flopped its way to a 6-10 record in 2019, and injuries limited Njoku to only four games.
Despite the frequent deployment of multiple tight end sets in Stefanski’s run-first offense and Njoku’s resulting reduced role as a pass-catcher, he fully committed to sticking with the Browns in 2020, and it paid off.
While some team could conceivably pay Njoku more money if he were to hit free agency in 2022, it seems like he wants to get a new deal done as he prepares for the final year of his rookie contract. The team success Cleveland is in position to achieve seems more important to the 25-year-old than targets or bottom-line money.
After firing his original agent in favor of the more high-profile Drew Rosenhaus, who instigated a trade demand, Njoku is back with Malki Kawa, and evidently wants to work toward a fair deal to stay with the team that drafted him.
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How David Njoku can evolve his role in Cleveland Browns’ 2021 offense
Most will look at Njoku’s 19 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns from last year as wildly unspectacular. Bear in mind, though, that the Browns have arguably the league’s best running back tandem in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and quarterback Baker Mayfield had three capable tight ends to work with.
Despite Cleveland spending a lot to acquire Austin Hooper in free agency and drafting Harrison Bryant, though, Njoku wound up with a better run- and pass-blocking grade than both of them in 2020, per Pro Football Focus.
Njoku’s willingness to get physical at the line of scrimmage and embrace his role as more of a blocker wound up benefiting him, and led to opportunities on the biggest stage of the postseason.
Against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, Njoku had four catches on five targets for 59 yards. That was his latest performance, and it stands to reason he’ll only be more comfortable in Year 2 with the same offensive system in place.
If Hooper continues to fall short of expectations and Bryant doesn’t make a significant jump as an NFL sophomore, there’s a real chance Njoku winds up erupting in his contract year. After all, when Mayfield was a rookie, he hauled in 56 receptions for 639 yards, so Njoku has shown the ability to be a real factor in the passing game in the past.
Put together Njoku’s improved attitude, increased willingness to block and his natural maturity as a person and player, and it could be a killer combination that helps the Browns’ ceiling on offense go even higher.
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