It seems pretty obvious that the Cleveland Browns, 1-5, once again won’t be making a visit to the postseason this season. Cleveland has only made the playoffs twice in the last 20 years.
That means, as usual, the Browns will most likely end up being sellers leading up to the November 4 trade deadline. One name that has been constantly floated around as a trade prospect is tight end David Njoku.
The nine-year veteran could become a valuable addition for a playoff contender.
“The Pro Bowl tight end’s production has dipped, but some of that could have to do with the struggles the Browns have experienced at quarterback,” The Athletic’s Mike Jones wrote. “However, the team also seems to be working rookie Harold Fannin Jr. into the mix, which makes Njoku, who is in the final year of his deal, expendable. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts and others could certainly use a boost from someone of Njoku’s caliber.”
Njoku would certainly be playing with more stable quarterbacks at any of those three spots than he has been with the circus in Cleveland. Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert and Daniel Jones are all among the league’s top 10 in passing yards and QBR this season.
The only concern for Njoku could be his health — and what the Browns could realistically get in return for him. He was forced out of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a knee injury.
“If Njoku is healthy, he should garner some outside interest,” Zac Jackson wrote. “The Browns have to consider trading him, given the overall state of the offense and that Fannin is signed through 2028, but what they could get in return is unclear. It’s hard to see Njoku bringing back more than a fifth-round pick. It’s also possible that the Browns could consider working on a deal to keep Njoku for at least one more season.”
If Njoku is traded this season, he would still account for more than $24 million in dead cap money in 2026, per Spotrac. That stems from the Browns structuring his 2023 deal with an up-front cash payment.