David Njoku changed agents last week, and as often happens following such a move, he's now demanding to be traded. The Browns, having signed Austin Hooper to a huge contract and drafted Harrison Bryant in the fourth round, might be willing to accommodate him. It remains to be seen what kind of market there will be.
Njoku was a first-round pick back in 2017. His rookie year impact was slight, but he did put together a quality season in 2018, catching 56 balls for 639 yards and 4 TDs -- fantasy's 9th-ranked PPR tight end. He was hurt most of last season, and Cleveland moved on, but some team might look at that 2018 production and see a No. 1 type of option.
One thing he'll need to clean up is the drops. In his three-year career, Njoku has dropped 11 of the 104 catchable balls sent his way. That rate of 10.6% is one of the three worst rates in the league, among tight ends with at least 50 targets over that span. Humorously, the only two players worse than him also spent 2019 with Cleveland. The Browns sure can pick them.
| TIGHT END DROP RATES, 2017-2019 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Drop | Tot | Pct |
| Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 73 | 0 | 73 | .0% |
| Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 160 | 2 | 162 | 1.2% |
| Antonio Gates, LAC | 58 | 1 | 59 | 1.7% |
| Jacob Hollister, N.E.-Sea. | 49 | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| Tyler Higbee, LAR | 118 | 3 | 121 | 2.5% |
| Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jac. | 61 | 2 | 63 | 3.2% |
| Gerald Everett, LAR | 86 | 3 | 89 | 3.4% |
| Jordan Reed, Was. | 81 | 3 | 84 | 3.6% |
| James O'Shaughnessy, Jac. | 52 | 2 | 54 | 3.7% |
| Zach Ertz, Phil. | 278 | 11 | 289 | 3.8% |
| Austin Hooper, Atl. | 195 | 8 | 203 | 3.9% |
| Greg Olsen, Car. | 96 | 4 | 100 | 4.0% |
| Jack Doyle, Ind. | 149 | 7 | 156 | 4.5% |
| Nick Boyle, Balt. | 82 | 4 | 86 | 4.7% |
| Hunter Henry, LAC | 100 | 5 | 105 | 4.8% |
| Delanie Walker, Ten. | 99 | 5 | 104 | 4.8% |
| Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 116 | 6 | 122 | 4.9% |
| Blake Jarwin, Dall. | 58 | 3 | 61 | 4.9% |
| Nick Vannett, Sea.-Sea-Pit. | 58 | 3 | 61 | 4.9% |
| Darren Waller, Oak. | 96 | 5 | 101 | 5.0% |
| Josh Hill, N.O. | 57 | 3 | 60 | 5.0% |
| George Kittle, S.F. | 216 | 12 | 228 | 5.3% |
| Jason Witten, Dall. | 126 | 7 | 133 | 5.3% |
| Rhett Ellison, NYG | 67 | 4 | 71 | 5.6% |
| Benjamin Watson, 3 tms | 113 | 7 | 120 | 5.8% |
| C.J. Uzomah, Cin. | 80 | 5 | 85 | 5.9% |
| Darren Fells, Cle.-Hou. | 62 | 4 | 66 | 6.1% |
| Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 91 | 6 | 97 | 6.2% |
| Trey Burton, Chi. | 91 | 6 | 97 | 6.2% |
| Charles Clay, Buff.-Ariz. | 88 | 6 | 94 | 6.4% |
| Cameron Brate, T.B. | 114 | 8 | 122 | 6.6% |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | 283 | 20 | 303 | 6.6% |
| Evan Engram, NYG | 153 | 11 | 164 | 6.7% |
| O.J. Howard, T.B. | 94 | 7 | 101 | 6.9% |
| Jordan Akins, Hou. | 53 | 4 | 57 | 7.0% |
| Jesse James, Pitt.-Det. | 89 | 7 | 96 | 7.3% |
| Jimmy Graham, Sea-GB | 150 | 12 | 162 | 7.4% |
| Seth DeValve, tms | 50 | 4 | 54 | 7.4% |
| Jonnu Smith, Ten. | 73 | 6 | 79 | 7.6% |
| Vernon Davis, Was. | 78 | 7 | 85 | 8.2% |
| Jeff Heuerman, Den. | 54 | 5 | 59 | 8.5% |
| Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 62 | 6 | 68 | 8.8% |
| Vance McDonald, Pitt. | 102 | 10 | 112 | 8.9% |
| Ryan Griffin, Hou.-NYJ | 71 | 7 | 78 | 9.0% |
| Mark Andrews, Balt. | 98 | 10 | 108 | 9.3% |
| Jared Cook, Oak.-N.O. | 165 | 18 | 183 | 9.8% |
| Eric Ebron, Det-Ind | 150 | 17 | 167 | 10.2% |
| Ian Thomas, Car. | 52 | 6 | 58 | 10.3% |
| Tyler Kroft, tms | 52 | 6 | 58 | 10.3% |
| David Njoku, Cle. | 93 | 11 | 104 | 10.6% |
| Ricky Seals-Jones, Ariz.-Cle. | 60 | 9 | 69 | 13.0% |
| Demetrius Harris, K.C.-Cle | 45 | 11 | 56 | 19.6% |
Newest Brown Austin Hooper should change all that; he dropped under 4 percent over those three seasons, a top-11 number.
Njoku's destination, if he is in fact traded, should be clear over the next couple of weeks. One report mentioned Dallas, but that was also quickly disputed -- Dallas doesn't really have the cap room, and they're likely fine with Blake Jarwin. Expect somebody to float the Patriots as a possibility; they don't have a proven tight end, and they have a history of fleecing the Browns in trades.
The drops are a concern, but that 2018 production suggests Njoku could in fact be relevant this season, on the right roster.
--Andy Richardson