Browns Breakout Player Makes Star Turn, Now Key to Playoff Run
The Cleveland Browns spent much of the offseason and several days leading up to the NFL trade deadline looking for a pass-catcher to complement wide receiver Amari Cooper, but it turns out they had that player all along.
They just didn’t have a quarterback who knew how to utilize him.
Tight end David Njoku is in the conversation with second-year running back Jerome Ford and veteran QB Joe Flacco as the biggest breakout stars on the Browns offense this season. Bleacher Report’s NFL Staff on Sunday, December 17, dubbed the tight end an “elite threat” as Cleveland prepares for a playoff run that could have legitimate legs.
The Joe Flacco honeymoon period nearly ended against the [Chicago] Bears after the longtime veteran threw three interceptions. The former Super Bowl winner didn’t cave, though. He simply goes back to his playmakers, starting with tight end David Njoku.
Head coach/offensive play-caller Kevin Stefanski has incorporated Njoku into the offensive more over the second half of the season because of how he can create after the catch. Also, the tight end has quickly earned Flacco’s trust.
As good [of] a wide receiver as Amari Cooper is, Njoku is the primary receiving threat in Cleveland’s offense. The tight end has always been packed with potential. He’s now playing like one of the very best at his position.
David Njoku in Midst of Career Year, Stats Improving with Joe Flacco at QB
GettyQuarterback Joe Flacco of the Cleveland Browns (left) and tight end David Njoku (right) celebrate a touchdown pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars in December 2023.
Njoku has been a vital cog in a revived Cleveland passing attack since Flacco took the reins three games ago and put up his most productive performance of the year with a season-high 10 catches for a season-high 104 yards and a touchdown last week against Chicago.
The tight end is averaging 8 catches for 97.5 yards and 1.5 touchdowns over Cleveland’s last two games — wins over the Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively, which have bumped the Browns’ record to 9-5 and put the team in position to potentially clinch a playoff spot Sunday against the Houston Texans.
Njoku made the play of the afternoon last weekend, catching a pass over the middle and gaining a first down — plus a whole lot more — on a 3rd-and-15 play late against the Bears in the fourth quarter. The subsequent first down ultimately led to a game-winning field goal in the contest’s final seconds.
Njoku has already set career-highs across the board with 69 catches for 704 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2023, per Pro Football Reference, with three games remaining.
David Njoku Will Prove Even More Crucial to Browns’ Success if Amari Cooper’s Injury Issues Persist
GettyWide receiver Amari Cooper of the Cleveland Browns.
Njoku has clearly been Flacco’s favorite target over the past few games, although Cooper has been no slouch himself.
The Browns’ top wide receiver has caught 14 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown since Flacco entered the starting lineup. However, he has also been hampered by multiple injuries.
Cooper left Flacco’s first start against the Los Angeles Rams early after suffering a concussion during the second quarter. The wideout left the prior week’s game against the Denver Broncos prematurely as well due to a rib injury.
Cleveland’s roster has been decimated by injury on both sides of the football and will be hard-pressed to survive should Cooper find himself sidelined at any point moving forward. In any case, Njoku is likely to continue on through the remainder of the season and postseason as Flacco’s safety valve and the weapon for whom the Browns spent months searching before his breakout performances over the last few weeks.
