https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-brow...rns--152565868/

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns lost a big part of their offense with the MCL knee injury to running back Nick Chubb. However, they did get some good news as tight end David Njoku returned to practice on Wednesday. Njoku injured his knee in the season opening game after catching passes, including a one-yard touchdown pass in the loss.

On Monday, Kevin Stefanski said he expected Njoku to return this week after being placed on injured reserve and sitting out the mandatory three-game term under the NFL's new injured reserve rule.

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On Wednesday, the Browns designated Njoku for return from injured reserve. Njoku said he's fully healthy and is hoping to build on his opening game success where he caught three passes for 50 yards, including a touchdown.

"For sure, for sure. I'm completely healed, so I'm really excited to finally get back on the field," Njoku said before practice Wednesday. "To hang with my teammates and have some fun. I am very excited."


Njoku recorded three receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown during the season opener at Baltimore on Sept. 13. He left the game with a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 14. A first round pick in 2017, Njoku has recorded 96 receptions for 1,116 yards with 10 touchdowns in 37 career games. He is eligible to return to practice and the team has three weeks to activate him from injured reserve.



Baker Mayfield is excited to add another weapon.

"We're very happy to have David back," Mayfield said. "We've had a lot of good plays in that tight end room and trusted those guys, so it's obviously, great to have another playmaker involved. It's great to have another piece of the puzzle."


Extra Points

AC Returns: Besides Njoku returning to practice, DE Adrian Clayborn was back practicing after missing last week's game with a hip injury. Clayborn had two sacks in the first two games, but was limited in the third game and did not play in the fourth game.



Browns Elevate Taylor: The Browns also signed WR Taywan Taylor to the active roster from the practice squad to replace WR KhaDarel Hodge, who was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Taylor spent the first four weeks on the club’s practice squad. He was initially acquired by the Browns via trade in 2019 from Tennessee who selected him in the third round of the 2017 draft. He has appeared in 32 career games with 10 starts and totaled 53 receptions for 697 yards with two touchdowns. Taylor will wear No. 10.

This season in the NFL, a player going on injured reserve is allowed to return after missing only three games, and teams may return an unlimited number of players from injured reserve throughout the year.

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COMMENTS
Richardson, Ogunjobi Miss: The Browns had three players on the side as practice began for the week, including both starting defensive tackles. DT Larry Ogunjobi (oblique), DT Sheldon Richardson (thigh), along with LB Tae Davis (elbow) were on the side.

Add him to the TE pile. I think he’s gonna be playing in the slot an awful lot with the emergence of Bryant

Until he gets a whole lot better at blocking, he may have trouble seeing the field.

I think a 3 TE package where Njoku moves around, maybe into the slot ... opens up some things. Not only does Njoku have to block he needs to catch consistently - we've seen too many great catches followed by a catch for a first down bounce out of his hands. Wouldn't be surprised to see a handful of 3TE sets and a couple decent pass plays out of it, especially if we do manage to run the ball okay.

I honestly don't think a 3rd TE in Njoku buys us anything over having Juice or OBJ out there, instead. Although, I suppose it gives them a breather.

In the redzone it gives Baker a big target to lob it up to and let him go get it.

Njoku has actually been good at those plays. Single coverage and a good throw almost makes it a foregone conclusion.

^ Took the words right out of my mouth.

Good Always nice to have a good player come back.

That gives us 3 really good TE's

Actually, Njoku just might be our best run blocking TE.

Njoku played what, 17 snaps this year and has 3 catches and a touchdown? That's nice.

Hooper was overpaid, but I get why they did it. Bryant looks like a stud in the making but I'm not sure that I'm happy with Bryant all season as TE2 if I'm making a run at the title.

Sure, maybe he can't stay on the field because of injury if you want to go there, but Njoku is still probably our best TE.

I'm thinking he may even score this week.

The team that gets the most out of their tight ends, usually wins the AFC North.

In Fact, I don't think anyone would find a year where this didn't happen, but I'm not going to research it, because it seems about as obvious as rain, gets things wet.

All Browns tight ends who play, are going to need to have a big day, I think it's one of the keys to beating the colts.
Now does that mean blocking, or catching, or running or throwing, probably the first two.

That's a pretty bold statement my friend. I too probably like Njoku a bit more than most, but I'm not sure I'd have the chutzpa to go that far. It'll be interesting to see how the responses play out

No offense to anyone, but I don't think Njoku is our best blocking TE. I think he is our most athletic TE and probably the guy who is most likely to make a big play. I don't believe blocking and consistency are two of his strengths.

The bottom line for me is that it is nice to have him back because we don't have to rely on him, but he gives yet another explosive weapon who can make game-changing plays.

Unless I was missing a metamorphosis in his blocking in the games he played before getting hurt this year, my memory of Njoku is as a rather poor blocker. Agree with Vers - he's the most athletic and he can make spectacular catches but that all sadly comes with the least consistent hands out of the the 3 TE's.

Like I said, device made a rather bold statement.

Hopefully if he stays injury free going forward we'll get to see if he's improved on his consistency.

Always felt that the red zone was his strength.

He is tall, has long limbs, and he can jump out the building.

The guy is chiseled with loads of natural ability. The rap on him going back to Dorsey was blocking.

Bryant blocks.

I am rooting for Njoku. I would love to see him reach his vast potential.

He presents a problem on seam routes. Hard to guy to match against.

He can help if he can catch the ball.

^This.

Njoku is can only get so strong and he can only ever be so fast. His key to the Big Payday in my opinion is going to be learning how to regularly exploit those seams. Jordan Cameron was fantastic at doing that.

He needs to succeed to get more calls and snaps. Hope he is even more reliabaenow.

The guy has to make Plays, Blocking or Receiving.

The Guy can make plays. Do I think David Njoku, is going to miss plays because someone says he's not the best blocker? NO,

The Guy has to make plays,

I can't take the idea of, say the guy can't make a play so I can be proven right in saying he was not good.

I'll take the idea the Browns are better when they win.

The guy has to make plays, I'm not going to push an agenda where I smile when the Browns player fail because of some, I told you so syndrome,

Because I don't have to feel like I'm smarter than everyone else I come in contact with.

When Njoku plays? He has to make blocks!

AND CATCHES! (Nobody should be wearing a Browns uniform if, "we don't have to rely on them.")

Blocking and consistency are absolutely his biggest weaknesses.

He has not proven himself to be a good or willing blocker that I've seen, and the only thing he does consistently is that he does everything inconsistently. He's a flash-in-the-pan kinda player with tremendous upside and capability, but more often than anything he completely fails to play up to his capabilities.

Njoku catches touchdowns, per the number of times he touches the ball, at an amazingly high rate.

All he does, is catch touchdowns!
Just like was said about Chris Carter.

Haters are gonna Hate.