Insult to injury: Pro Bowl TE David Njoku exits with ankle injury

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku exited the Cowboys game with an ankle injury

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku left the game against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter with an ankle injury. Njoku suffered the injury after making a 32-yard catch and run helping revive a nearly dead offense. Njoku dragged a Cowboys defender 5-yards down the field before getting leveled by a safety down the field.

Njoku was slow to get up after the play. He hobbled to the medical tent where he briefly convened with trainers before he limped off to the locker room with a medical entourage. Njoku is questionable to return with an ankle injury.

Njoku’s 32-yard reception set the Browns offense up for a touchdown to make the game 10-27 with ten minutes left in the quarter. Njoku was a foundational piece of the offense and the Browns must find a way to replace his production. The Browns only carried two tight ends on the roster this season. Jordan Akins will replace Njoku until he can return.

Browns: David Njoku takes hilarious shot at Stefanski and Vrabel at practice

Njoku takes a hilarious shot at his coaches

The hiring of former Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel is one of the more underrated moves of the Cleveland Browns‘ offseason. Since training camp started, he has been working closely with the tight ends, specifically David Njoku.

While being interviewed on Saturday during the game against the Packers, Njoku said that Vrabel is teaching him how to play smart football. Learning from a defensive mind like Vrabel will surely have benefits for Njoku after a breakout season with the Browns last year.

On Monday, the Browns posted a video to social media of Njoku taking a hilarious shot at his head coach, Kevin Stefanski, and Vrabel. He made a comment about the two of them being a “million dollar picture. Of course, after he walked away, he made the comment that both of them were ugly.

The Browns will host the Vikings on Wednesday and Thursday for joint practices in Berea.

Browns overtake Eagles for NFL lead in players earning over $10M per year

Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns are tied with 13 players earning over $10M per year

Championship teams are built through the draft and shrewd free-agent acquisitions, and in this new day of the NFL, huge salaries are a prerequisite for overall franchise success.

Before Wednesday morning, Philadelphia and Cleveland led the NFL with 12 players earning $10+ million per season.  The Browns now have the top spot after the team agreed to a three-year extension with linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, worth up to $39 million, including a $25 million guarantee.

Browns

– Deshaun Watson: $46M
– Myles Garrett: $25M
– Denzel Ward: $20.1M
– Amari Cooper: $20M
– Jerry Jeudy: $17.5M
– Joel Bitonio: $16M
– Jack Conklin: $15M
– Dalvin Tomlinson: $14.25M
– Wyatt Teller: $14.2M
– David Njoku: $13.687M
– Grant Delpit: $12M
– Za’Darius Smith: $11.5M
– Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: $13M (max)

Eagles

– Jalen Hurts: $52M
– Saquon Barkley: $12M.5
– A.J. Brown: $32M
– DeVonta Smith: $25M
– Dallas Goedert: $14.5M
– Jordan Mailata: $22M
– Landon Dickerson: $21M
– Lane Johnson: $20M
– Bryce Huff: $17M
– Josh Sweat: $10M
– Darius Slay: $13M
– James Bradberry: $12.5

The Browns have the NFL’s second-highest payroll at $244,730,743, behind the Atlanta Falcons, who are shelling out a league-high $249,538,227 in cap space.

Philadelphia is 30th in the league, paying out $182,873,638 in total cap space this season.

David Njoku and Mike Vrabel developing into dynamic duo with Browns

The Pro Bowl tight end has been learning a lot from the veteran coach

Cleveland Browns star tight end David Njoku didn’t play in the first preseason game against the Packers on Saturday. In fact, most of the Browns starters and key contributors didn’t play, as the team is likely focusing on the joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings next week.

During the game, Njoku was interviewed on the sideline and asked about consultant Mike Vrabel and the work he has been doing with the budding star. The Chief said that Vrabel is a good guy and has been teaching him how to play smart football.

He also said Vrabel shows his old highlights, something he is proud of, and he does it to show them what greatness looks like. It’s been said a bunch of times already, but the experience and knowledge Vrabel brings to the table could turn out to be invaluable to the team.

Cleveland is looking to establish a consistent winning culture, and bringing in someone who has been around so much success is a great way to help build that culture.

Browns Podcast: Recapping week one of Cleveland Browns training camp

The first week of camp is in the books for the Browns

The 2024 season is close as the Cleveland Browns have wrapped up their first week of training camp. There have been several different headlines but one of the biggest is how sharp quarterback Deshaun Watson has looked. On top of that he hasn’t missed a practice working his way back from shoulder surgery.

David Njoku spoke with the media this week and expressed how excited he is for the team’s planned usage of him this year. He was the king of yards after catch at the position and the team clearly understands he needs to continue to get targets in 2024.

The preseason will be here in just over a week, and players like Michael Hall Jr. and Jamari Thrash could really turn some heads during those games. Most of the roster is set, but there are a handful of spots up for grabs, and the battle for those spots will be fun to watch.

You can hear more and these topics and others by clicking here and listening to our latest episode.

Browns: David Njoku excited for his usage plan for the 2024 season

Njoku has his sight set on an even bigger season this year

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku broke out in 2023, finally reaching the level people thought he could with his rare size and athleticism. The question that seems to be floating around Njoku is his usage with Deshaun Watson this year. He took off production-wise after Watson’s season was over.

Njoku talked about his excitement for the new offense this year and how they plan to use him.

“Whatever they need me to do I’ll do. It’s more exciting times, they’re trying to get me the ball more so I’m happy. But whatever they need me to do: block, catch, run, dive, duck, dip—everything.”

Most of his damage was done after the catch last year, turning small gains into explosive plays. If Watson and Njoku can get on the same page this year, he could be in for his first 1,000-yard season. With the addition of Jerry Jeudy, they should get even more favorable matchups for Njoku.

Browns TE David Njoku gets hands on coaching from Mike Vrabel

The Pro Bowl tight end gets some on-the-field coaching from the other NFL Coach of the Year on staff.

The Cleveland Browns have only been in training camp for one week, but there have already been two Mike Vrabel viral clips. First, it was his daily races with backup quarterback Jameis Winston, and now, it is a clip of him hand-fighting with Pro Bowl tight end David Njoku.

Over the past three years, Njoku has developed into one of the most well-rounded tight ends in the NFL. This culminated in his first Pro Bowl appearance a year ago. For a player who struggled to block when he first came into the league, it has now become a calling card for Njoku.

However, there is always room to get better.

In the clip below, you can see Njoku working on his strike, leverage, and hand placement with the former Super Bowl-winning linebacker. Getting one-on-one attention from a coach and former player like Vrabel is such a valuable experience for a blossoming player like Njoku.

Vrabel’s tenure with the Browns will likely be short-lived as he gets his buyout from the Titans and will likely get courted for jobs next year. However, what an invaluable asset he will be to Stefanski and his team during a crucial 2024 season.

With one week of training camp down, the Browns will continue to look to get after it. Vrabel included.

Will 2024 mark the start of a Deshaun Watson redemption arc?

What are the odds of a Watson rebound in 2024?

In March of 2022, the Cleveland Browns sent first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as a third-rounder in 2023, plus fourth-rounders in ’22 and 2024, to the Houston Texans in exchange for quarterback Deshaun Watson and a ’24 sixth-round pick. After two seasons, this checks in as one of the worst trades in NFL history from Cleveland’s perspective. Will things finally get better in 2024? Let’s take an early peek.

During his two years in a Browns uniform, Watson has appeared in 12 games. He served an 11-game suspension in 2022, and he missed 11 games last year due to a shoulder injury that required surgery to correct. He has been a limited participant in offseason workouts, but the expectation is he will be ready to go in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Cleveland has made some notable changes since the last time Watson took the field. Perhaps the biggest one is the hiring of new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who worked with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen during his tenure as the OC. Dorsey was named the quarterbacks coach when Allen was in his second season, and he helped shepherd his ascent to stardom before eventually taking over as the play caller in 2022.

On the field, the Browns acquired wide receiver Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos, ironically parting ways with the sixth-round selection they picked up from Houston in the Watson deal (along with a fifth-round choice). That gives Cleveland a top three of Jeudy (54-758-2 last year), Amari Cooper (72-1,250-5), and Elijah Moore (59-640-2) at receiver to go along with tight end David Njoku (81-882-6), who finally took a major step statistically last year.

[lawrence-related id=490075]

Health and contract issues could play a part in how effective Cleveland is offensively in 2024. In addition to Watson, who still isn’t throwing every day as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, running back Nick Chubb (knee) faces an uncertain future after suffering a gruesome knee injury last year. On the money side, Cooper didn’t take part in the offseason program as he enters the final year of his contract.

All those changes should lead to a more aggressive, pass-oriented offense under Dorsey, which could breathe some life into Watson, who last posted a meaningful statistical season back in 2020 — he threw for 4,823 yards, 33 TDs, and seven INTs while rushing for 444 yards and three TDs.

Fantasy football outlook

The numbers that Watson put up in 2020 bordered on elite, and it shows what he is capable of … or at least what he was capable of. Three full seasons have passed since then, during which he’s played in a dozen games with 2,217 yards passing, 14 TDs, and nine INTs.

At this stage, the veteran needs to be viewed as a borderline top-20 quarterback on draft day, though his dual-threat potential makes him one of the more intriguing backup options.

Ranking the top 32 tight ends in the NFL by annual salary

Well, you’re not going to see a single Carolina Panthers tight end on this list. Sorry, but that might have something to do paltry production the position has seen over the past handful of years. And hey, maybe new head coach Dave Canales and his ” …

Well, you’re not going to see a single Carolina Panthers tight end on this list. Sorry, but that might have something to do paltry production the position has seen over the past handful of years.

And hey, maybe new head coach Dave Canales and his “tight end-friendly” offense will end up churning out a guy who’s worth paying . . . eventually. But in the meantime, here are the top 32 tight ends in the NFL ranked by average annual salary:

*Salaries via Over The Cap

Browns TE David Njoku named best 29th overall pick of the decade

Njoku gets more praise this off-season

2023 was a true breakout season for Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, who showed all of the potential he has had since entering the league at such a young age. Njoku has had plenty of good stretches and moments in other years, but this year is the first one where he put it all together from start to finish.

DraftWire recently released a list of the best players picked at each pick in the first round over the last ten years, with Njoku being their pick for 29th overall. Njoku was asked about Ken Dorsey’s influence in the passing attack and the question seemed to excite him as though he will produce even more in 2024.

Last year, Njoku finished the season with 81 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns despite some terrible quarterback play at times. The most impressive aspect of last year was that 608 yards were after the catch, proving that he is a real weapon with the ball in his hands.