Getty Browns TE David Njoku.
The Cleveland Browns were caught off guard earlier this offseason when tight end David Njoku requested a trade, general manager Andrew Berry revealed on Tuesday.
Njoku’s trade demand came in early July through his newly-signed agent Drew Rosenhaus, who told ESPN’s Adam Schefter: “It is in David’s best interest to find a new team at this time.” The former first-round pick said he wanted out of Cleveland before the start of training camp, which obviously did not manifest.
From the start, the Browns and Berry took a hard stance that they were not keen on the idea of dealing Njoku, especially if the price was not right. Njoku recently backtracked on his trade demand, writing on Twitter: “I’m all in Cleveland. Time to work.”
I’m all in Cleveland. Time to work.
Berry gave a little behind the scenes look at how the last month has been from the front office’s point of view.
“I will be honest, yes, a little bit,” Berry said when asked about Njoku’s trade demand. “I guess you learn not to be surprised about anything. He communicated well through it. He worked through it professionally. We had good communication with his representation. We think we are in a pretty good place right now.”
David Njoku Will Play ‘Big Role’ For Browns
Njoku — the 29th overall pick in the 2017 draft — is a physical specimen at 6-foot-4, 246 pounds with 4.6 40-yard dash speed. In his second season, Njoku essentially doubled his production from his rookie year, collecting 56 catches for 639 yards and four touchdowns.
However, Njoku stumbled last season with a broken wrist and a bad relationship with the coaching staff. He had just five catches for 41 yards and one touchdown in Year 3 and was a healthy scratch down the stretch. The team recently executed Njoku’s fifth-year option, meaning he’s under contract for at least two more seasons.
What caught many off guard was that Njoku seemed eager and ready to work under the new regime in Cleveland, saying all the right things and even joining quarterback Baker Mayfield in Texas for some throwing sessions this offseason. But despite his brief disgruntled period, Njoku showed up to camp in tremendous shape and the team expects big things out of him.
“I will not go into necessarily the specifics of the conversation that I had with David, but what I can tell you with David, really even since the spring and definitely since he has been back, he has been very engaged with our coaching staff and our performance staff,” Berry said. “He has shown up in terrific shape. I do think that there is an element with getting back around your teammates, your coaches and the excitement of training camp. We have been very consistent that we think David can be a big part of where we are trying to go as a team this year and that we think he has an important role to play for this roster and for this team. We are looking forward to working with David. I think he can have a fantastic year.”
David Njoku Will Have to Work for Reps
GettyBrowns tight end David Njoku has demanded a trade.
While the Browns are making sure to note that Njoku could have a tremendous year, but he’ll have to show some improvement from year’s past to get on the field because he has some competition.
The Browns added some depth at tight end this offseason in Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant. In just 13 games played last season with Atlanta, Hooper set career highs last season with 75 receptions, 787 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The Browns signed him to the richest tight end deal in the NFL this offseason as a free agent.
Bryant, a fourth-round, played his college ball at Florida Atlantic. He got progressively better each season with the Owls, culminating with a season season where he collected 65 catches, 1,007 yards and seven touchdowns.
Last season when Stefanski called the plays in Minnesota, he used multiple tight ends a league-high 57 percent of the time (h/t ESPN’s Jake Trotter).