David Njoku asks the Browns to trade him

Tight end David Njoku asks the Browns to trade him via his agent, Drew Rosenhaus

Browns tight end David Njoku is ready to leave the Cleveland Browns. Via his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, Njoku has asked the Browns to trade him away.

Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the trade demand, which comes at the onset of the holiday weekend.

Earlier this offseason the new Browns regime of GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski picked up the 5th-year option on Njoku’s contract. He was one of the team’s three 1st-round selections in the 2017 NFL Draft. Stefanski’s offense makes liberal use of multiple tight ends, and Njoku is expected to be a big part of the offense along with prized free agent TE, Austin Hooper.

Schefter’s report indicates the team does intend on keeping him.

In three seasons, Njoku has 93 receptions for 1,066 yards and nine TDs. He missed 12 games in 2019 with a broken wrist and a concussion, suffered on the same play.

David Njoku ready to roll in Browns ‘very tight end friendly’ new offense

David Njoku ready to roll in Browns ‘very tight end friendly’ new offense

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku is facing a make-or-break season with the team. The Browns picked up the fifth-year option on Njoku’s rookie contract, but his long-term status is far from secure.

Njoku is doing what he can to make sure his fourth season in Cleveland is his best. The 2017 first-round pick has added more lean muscle to his already-impressive physique and is training several hours per day in Miami to get ready.

He joined Cleveland Browns Daily on Friday to talk about the opportunity in front of him in new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense. In Minnesota, Stefanski used two tight ends in the formation more than any other team in 2019 and that expects to carry to Cleveland. Njoku is liking what he sees so far.

“It’s been a lot more fun than I thought,” Njoku told host Nathan Zegura. “This offense is very tight end friendly, so we have a bunch of scenarios where we are all over the place and having a lot of fun on the field.”

He later stated he’s focusing on continuing to get faster and also to refine his blocking technique.

The Hurry Up Podcast: Matt Waldman talks Nick Chubb, Browns Rushing Attack

The Hurry Up Podcast: Matt Waldman talks Nick Chubb, Browns run game and more

Host Mac Robinson talks to Matt Waldman of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio about the Cleveland Browns’ new offense under head coach Kevin Stefanski, and how Nick Chubb could burst onto the scene and put himself in some pretty elite company.

Listen as Robinson and Waldman discuss the impact of the running game on the wide receiver group, and some of their favorite draft picks and each’s fit on the roster.

Be sure to follow Mac (@MacRobinson95) and the podcast (@HurryUpPodcast) on Twitter for all of the latest news and notes surrounding the podcast, the Browns, and all things football! Feel free to support the podcast today by becoming a patron!

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The Hurry Up Podcast: Danny Kelly of The Ringer on Browns, Seahawks Rumors

Danny Kelly of The Ringer joins host Mac Robinson to discuss the Browns-Seahawks trade rumors and more

Host Mac Robinson is joined by Danny Kelly from The Ringer to talk all of the Browns-Seahawks rumors, from Superstar Russell Wilson possibly traded to the Browns in 2018 to Myles Garrett’s rumored trade to Seattle earlier in the week. Kelly also broke down the Browns draft and some of his favorite picks, along with some of the best storylines for the Browns schedule heading into the 2020 season.

Mac also breaks down the offseason comparisons of players, Browns offensive line coach Bill Callahan’s comments regarding the offseason and Jedrick Wills’ transition from right tackle to left tackle, as well as the Baker Boot Camp taking place in Texas!

Be sure to follow Mac (@MacRobinson95) and the podcast (@HurryUpPodcast) on Twitter for all of the latest news and notes surrounding the podcast, the Browns, and all things football! Feel free to support the podcast today by becoming a patron!

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The Hurry Up Podcast: National Perspective w/ NFL Network’s Marc Sessler

The Hurry Up Podcast: National Perspective w/ NFL Network’s Marc Sessler

Marc Sessler, NFL Network and Around the NFL Podcast, stops by to give his thoughts on the Cleveland Browns offseason, the difference between the national perspective and local perspective on the team, and choosing to be a Browns fan growing up.

Host Mac Robinson also breaks down the Browns later round draft picks, his favorite pick of the Browns draft, and even goes into some of the Browns’ recent roster moves!

Be sure to follow Mac (@MacRobinson95) and the podcast (@HurryUpPodcast) on Twitter for all of the latest news and notes surrounding the podcast, the Browns, and all things football! Feel free to support the podcast today by becoming a patron!

Browns officially pick up 5th-year options on Myles Garrett and David Njoku

Browns officially pick up 5th-year options on Myles Garrett and David Njoku

It didn’t take long for the reports to become reality. On Monday, mere hours after reports circulated stating the Browns intended to pick up the 5th-year contract options on EDGE Myles Garrett and TE David Njoku, the team made it official.

The Browns exercised the contract options on both members of the 2017 NFL Draft first round still with the team. The third, Jabrill Peppers, was traded to the New York Giants last year.

Picking up the option keeps Garrett and Njoku under the Browns’ contractual control through at least the 2021 season. The players would have been free agents after the 2020 season otherwise.

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Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski prove men of their words on David Njoku

Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski prove men of their words on David Njoku by exercising the Browns TE’s fifth-year option

The Cleveland Browns have been a difficult team to trust in the last few years. The ever-changing front office and coaching staffs have often operated with just one hand clapping.

It’s early, but thus far the new regime of GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski are joined in hand. Even better, they have proven that their words mean something.

Unlike when Freddie Kitchens would gruffly state he’s not answering any questions on a topic and subsequently spend the next 10 minutes discussing said topic, or when Sashi Brown would tell players they were more than numbers before treating them exactly like a faceless number, the new Browns regime is backing up its words with actions. Picking up the fifth-year option on tight end David Njoku’s contract is a great example.

The Browns exercised the option on Njoku’s contract on Monday. Even after the first reports of the action started to leak out, skeptical fans and media wondered if it was legit. The team signed Austin Hooper in free agency to the richest deal ever signed by a tight end, then drafted promising young Harrison Bryant over the weekend.

Would they really keep three prominent tight ends? Are they still confident in Njoku, who has occasionally flashed greatness but largely underwhelmed in his first three seasons?

Berry and Stefanski both insisted to the skeptical masses that they did highly value Njoku. It wasn’t just diplomatic speak. They proved it by exercising Njoku’s option that will keep him in Cleveland through the end of the 2021 season.

Think of what that means to a player like Njoku, still precocious at just 23 years old. Think of what it means to the locker room, telling players that they’ll get the chance to prove themselves and won’t get thrown away hastily.

Men of their word. That’s a refreshing way for the Browns to conduct business.

Report: Browns pick up 5th-year options on Myles Garrett and David Njoku

The Cleveland Browns will pick up the 5th-year contract options on DE Myles Garrett and TE David Njoku, per ESPN’s Jake Trotter

Myles Garrett and David Njoku will be members of the Cleveland Browns through at least the end of the 2021 season. That is per a report from ESPN’s Jake Trotter on Monday. Per Trotter, the Browns will exercise their club options for the fifth year of their respective rookie contracts.

Garrett and Njoku were first-round picks by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. The first four years of their contracts are set, but all first-round picks come with fifth-year options at the club’s discretion. The Browns had until May 3rd to pick up those options.

Garrett’s option was a no-brainer, but there was some question about if the team would exercise the option on Njoku. After signing TE Austin Hooper to a massive contract in free agency and then drafting promising young Harrison Bryant over the weekend, Njoku faces an uncertain role and future. By exercising the option, the team decided that Njoku’s value is enough to keep for at least one more season…barring any trade activity. The Browns already traded the third member from the 2017 first-round class, safety Jabrill Peppers.

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The team does still have the ability to sign either player to a new contract extension before the end of the exercised options.

The Hurry Up Podcast: NFL Draft recap with Stephen Thomas

The Hurry Up Podcast: NFL Draft recap with Stephen Thomas

Host Mac Robinson wraps up Draft Week with Mock-Draft-aholic Stephen Thomas (@BrownsMockDraft on Twitter) as they breakdown all seven members of the Cleveland Browns 2020 Draft Class, as well as look at some of the undrafted free agent signings! They also look across the division and the league to give some of their favorite draft picks and who could be the stars of tomorrow!

Be sure to follow Mac (@MacRobinson95) and the podcast (@HurryUpPodcast) on Twitter for all of the latest news and notes surrounding the podcast, the Browns, and all things football! Feel free to support the podcast today by becoming a patron!

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Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski stress David Njoku’s importance to the Browns

Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski stress David Njoku’s importance to the Browns after signing Austin Hooper and drafting Harrison Bryant

It raised some eyebrows when the Cleveland Browns drafted Florida Atlantic tight end Harrison Bryant in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft on Saturday. After already signing Austin Hooper to the biggest contract ever for a tight end this offseason, adding the Mackey Award-winning Bryant, the nation’s leader in receptions and yards by a tight end in 2019, makes for a crowded room with former first-round pick David Njoku still around.

Njoku’s future is something that has been cast into doubt in the past as well, but both GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski once again reaffirmed their commitment and pleasure at keeping the enigmatic Njoku on the roster.

“We still have a ton of belief in David,” Berry said of Njoku in his post-draft teleconference. “He’s a guy with outstanding physical tools. We still think the future’s very bright for him. We see David as part of our long-term plans”.

Coach Stefanski offered more detail. He noted how he has a plan to incorporate the particular set of skills that Hooper, Njoku and Bryant each bring to the offense.

“I really think there’s a way to get all these guys on the field, sometimes at the same time,’’ he said. “Sometimes not. There’s versatility in that position. Being able to move guys around the formation is a very big deal. … Sometimes you go into a game and you like to keep them in their base scheme three linebackers on the field, keep them out of their nickel sub-packages, which can a lot of times bring some exotic pressure.’’

While serving as the offensive coordinator in Minnesota, Stefanski’s offense often deployed two tight ends and did use packages with three. The second tight end saw more passing targets than the No. 3 wide receiver in both 2018 and 2019.