Redskins should consider trading for TE David Njoku
By Ian Cummings
The Redskins name is at the center of the discussion today, but there’s also football-related news that demands Washington’s attention.
No matter how the debate around the Washington Redskins‘ team name resolves, there will eventually be football to play for the Washington football franchise. And Ron Rivera will be tasked with turning the team around after two decades of mediocrity.
One way to fill a pessimistic fanbase with optimism is to undergo an energetic rebranding after firing a Bruce Allen-esque team official. Another way to do so is to make an aggressive move for a high-upside offensive weapon.
The Redskins have the opportunity to do both. It was reported earlier today by NFL insider Adam Schefter that Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku had requested a trade from his team. Njoku’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, stated that it was in Njoku’s “best interest” to find a new team.
This comes after an offseason that saw the Browns add high-priced free agent Austin Hooper and fourth-round pick Harrison Bryant to their tight end room. There was, at one point, a belief that Njoku would continue to be a part of the Browns’ offense under Kevin Stefanski; Cleveland even exercised his fifth-year option, extending his contract through 2021. But it’s now clear that there’s an irreconcilable disconnect between the two parties.
For the Redskins, who desperately need top talent at the tight end position, Njoku would be an excellent buy-low addition. He was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and broke onto the scene in 2018 with 56 receptions, 639 yards, and four touchdowns. In 2019, however, Njoku missed 12 games with a broken wrist, only accumulating five catches.
Njoku will need to rebound from a down season, but he undoubtedly has the talent to do so. He’s 6-foot-4, 246, with a 4.64 40-yard dash, a 133-inch broad jump, and a 37.5-inch vertical. Those are elite athletic numbers, and Njoku, heading into his fourth NFL season, has yet to turn 24 years old.
dark. Next. Potential name changes for the Washington Redskins
The Redskins have an extra third-round pick in 2021 after trading Trent Williams to the 49ers, so they could feasibly afford to spend a fourth or fifth-round pick on a trade for Njoku. It would give Dwayne Haskins a surefire No. 1 target at the tight end position, as well as infuse the team with youth and upside at a position that has previously been very murky.