Last season, Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski crafted an offense that relied heavily on play-action passing. That system made Kirk Cousins into one of the game’s more efficient passers in 2019, particularly on play-action throws.
One element of the Vikings’ offense from 2019 was the use of 12 personnel, a package that utilizes two wide receivers, two tight ends and a single running back. The Vikings implemented that personnel package on 34% of their offensive plays (accounting for 363 snaps), second only to the Philadelphia Eagles.
When Stefanski left Minnesota for the AFC North, becoming the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns, it was widely assumed that he would look to carve out a similar offense for Baker Mayfield. When the team added Austin Hooper, on of the most coveted tight ends available in free agency, it seemed that Stefanski was certainly moving in that direction. Hooper joined a tight end group that included David Njoku, a first-rounder in the 2017 draft.
That design might have taken a hit in the past few days.
On Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter filed a report that Njoku was looking to be traded from Cleveland:
1/2 Browns’ TE David Njoku and his agent Drew Rosenhaus asked today for the team to trade him. The Browns told Njoku they would like to keep him, but Rosenhaus told them he’s intent on a trade. They want a trade before training camp.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 3, 2020
2/2 About David Njoku’s trade request today to the Browns, agent Drew Rosenhaus said: "It is in David's best interest to find a new team at this time."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 3, 2020
Njoku was viewed as an impressive prospect at the tight end position coming out of the University of Miami, but failed to live up to some of the pre-draft expectations that were in place. He appeared in all 16 games as a rookie in 2017 and made five starts, catching 32 passes on 60 targets for 386 yards and four touchdowns. His breakout season of 2018, if it could be considered such a thing, saw him appear in all 16 games once more with 14 starts, and catch 56 passes on 88 targets for 639 yards and again four touchdowns.
Last season, however, was a step back for Njoku. He appeared in only four games, with five receptions for 41 yards and a single touchdown, as his season was limited due to a wrist injury early in the season that resulted in him being placed on Injured Reserve with the “Designated to Return” qualifier. Njoku suffered that injury in a Week 2 win over the New York Jets, and did not return to action until Week 13.
Complicating matters for Njoku in Cleveland, beyond the addition of Hooper, is the fact that the Browns added rookie Harrison Bryant from Florida Atlantic in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. While this class was viewed as a weaker crop at the tight end position, Bryant showed some athleticism both at FAU as well as the Senior Bowl, and could be the move tight end to complement Hooper’s more traditional inline role.
The Browns might not lack for suitors for Njoku, as his size and athleticism will still make him an intriguing option for a team looking to bolster their tight end group. One franchise to watch, as always, is the New England Patriots. Their TE room a year ago was a black hole, and while they drafted a pair of rookies in Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene, anytime a veteran player becomes available most minds think of Bill Belichick. Another team to watch might be the Dallas Cowboys, who enter 2020 with Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz as their top two options at tight end, along with a pair of UDFAs in Sean McKeon from Michigan and Charlie Taumoepeau from Portland State.