DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum David Njoku requests trade

I'm not so sure that it's Njoku that's unhappy. I think it's quite possible his agent may have something to do with that.

He's been injured?

You can’t help the club if you are in the tub.

But it's still a great paycheck.

I always felt that Njoku choked often. No other way to put it. He has all the measurables, but not the production to match. He was injured last year, but not in prior years. I wish we would have kept DeValve. He was released by that Jags after signing as a free agent, with a non football injury designation.

I agree ... Njoku seems to drop it just too much for my liking. Not saying I’d immediately trade him, but he’s nowhere near his 1st round value

J/C. This seems to be a weird time to ask for a trade. I am wondering what transpired that pushed this thing to happen now and not back in April. I think David is very talented but has not proven to be a #1 type option guy. He was the youngest player in draft when we selected him and was very raw in his technique. Sad that we may not see him peak in a Browns uniform, but if he ain’t happy in Cleveland then Adios and good luck. Your next situation may be worse and then Free Agency may not be all that great either considering your stats.

Screw Njoku. Take a 4th or 5th and let him underachieve somewhere else.

He is great at blocking the ball from being caught by his hands.

You always say you'll evaluate the draft at the 3 year mark. So is this your Njoku evaluation?

Timeline:

Njoku seems happy to be back with the Browns..

2 days ago he changed agents and now wants traded?

This stinks of Drew Rosenhous trying to get a bigger deal from the Browns

You are doing a lot of assuming and all of it is one-sided. I think drafting Njoku that high was a mistake, but I don't think he is a bad person. I remember watching Hard Knocks and he came across as the nicest guy on the team. He was always trying to improve and he treated others w/respect.

I think this has more to do w/how he perceives his role on the team moving forward and perhaps even a personality conflict or two.

It's what agents do. Nothing wrong with that. Drew sees his guy is going to be second fiddle to Hooper. It's a contract year. Both he and David see it might be better to be in a situation where he is the #1 guy.

You understand placing people in jobs where they can perform. You were/are a agent. I don't know if you made more by getting people in to higher paying jobs, I would assume so, but it could be a flat fee, I am not sure how your business works. Anyway, if you think of it in those terms, you understand. You were/are a agent for people seeking better jobs. They might not be football players, but it doesn't really matter. You are there to help the clients who sought your help and do your best to do so.

Mine would be that the kid has all the talent in the world, but is really lacking in the Brains department. Great skill set, bad attitude, bad work ethic, and an attitude that has stopped him from improving himself and living up to his talent. He has two choices right now for his career. Pull his head out of his backside, and bust his butt to be a very good NFL tight end, or continue down the path he is on and be out of the NFL after a few so so seasons.

I don't think Njoku is a bad person. I agree, he seems like a good person. I agree it's about what he and Drew see as his role on the team.

He just became the 2nd TE even if we play 2 tight ends 85% of the time.

I like Carlson, he flashed some stuff, the newly drafted TE. David and Drew know he isn't going to do enough to max out another contract playing for the Browns.

Go to a team where he might catch 70 balls, then you take it from there. It's about putting yourself in the best position.


I get it. Trade him, gain a pick which we still like to do, and we take it from there. We don't know what that might turn in to. Might turn in to gold, might turn in to crap.

I’ve not been much of a fan. He’s an athletic talent but seems to not have any feel for the game. I’ll take a slower, less athletic guy that catches the ball well, knows how to find soft spots in zones, sheds blocks, disguises his intentions at the line, ‘feels’ the game around him, etc, over a fast guy that can jump... with questionable hands.

J/c

If it’s Rosenhaus trying to push for a big/new deal ... that ain’t working.

If it’s Rosenhaus trying to push for a trade ... that MIGHT work, but I doubt it

Yes, like Gary Barnidge, or for some of you older guys out there, Milt Morin.

I would keep him rather than give him away for a 4th or 5th

This seems like a Terrelle Pryor level miscalculation on NJoku's part. I don't see the market demand for him returning a significant asset for the Browns. I also don't see much advantage for the new regime caving to his demands. He is being fairly compensated. The team demonstrated a financial commitment to him when they extended him. In spite of the general argument that contracts aren't honored by teams that doesn't apply in this specific situation. The Browns have been fair with David, financially. Whatever the problem is it isn't money.

If he doesn't report then let him sit and develop the offense with the guys who come in. If it comes to a point where it's necessary I'd impose fines.

The exception that I would make is a trade for Ngakoue. Njoku, and our extra 3rd might get it done.

Stay and play. It is a contract. This isn't a catered event run by his agent. Clawback might be nice. Certainly hasn't panned much gold IMO.

That’s probably a good comparison ... iMO he should stay and put together a good year

If the price for Ngakoue is a backup tight end and a third round pick then he would not still be on the Jaguars.

Yep. Compensation starts at a 3rd round pick or comparable talent at a position of need... otherwise - no deal.

Agreed. Myself, I would like to keep him but if we have to trade him I'd like to see no less than a 3rd. Ask the Pats, they usually like to pick up our ex- players and they can use a TE.

If Njoku wants his trade demands met simply because he is dissatisfied why couldn't the same apply to Ngakoue? Who, by the way, was a third-round pick. The Jags incentive may be that if he isn't traded they will get nothing when he becomes a free agent next season.

If the argument is that Njuko and a third-round pick is not sufficient to make this deal then the same argument should be made by the Browns for allowing David out of his contract if the return is not to their liking. I can live with that.

Ngakoue is not currently under contract. He controls the whole process.

My point is that if someone offered a backup tight end and a third round pick for Ngakoue then the Jaguars would have already traded him by now.

Ngakoue is under contract with the Jags for 2020.

Source: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/jacksonville-jaguars/yannick-ngakoue-19018/

I'm not naive enough to consider this trade to be simple to do. I do think that the disgruntled posture of both players could affect their trade value. The Jags have no leverage after this coming season.

The Jaguars have a cap hold for the amount of the franchise tag but Ngakoue hasn’t signed the contract as of today.

David Njoku is demanding Cleveland Browns trade him? You gotta be kidding -- Terry Pluto

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio – He didn’t do enough to demand to be traded.

That was my first thought when I heard David Njoku’s new agent asked the Browns to trade the tight end, and to do it before training camp.

You know how many passes Njoku caught last season? Five. Let’s be fair. He had a broken wrist and was out for 10 games. But he was healthy at the end of the season and was a healthy scratch for two of the final three games. He played in four games, caught five passes. He also had two drops.


The 6-foot-4, 246-pound Njoku clashed with former coach Freddie Kitchens. His work ethic and attitude were questioned by the previous regime.

But the new front office and coaching staff likes him.


BERRY’S VOTE OF CONFIDENCE


GM Andrew Berry picked up Njoku’s $6.1 million option for 2021; he already is under contract for $1.8 million.

OK, the $6.1 million option is guaranteed for “injury only” in 2021. But only 18 of 32 players drafted in 2017 and eligible for that fifth year option had it picked up by their teams.

Njoku obviously didn’t like the Browns signing free agent tight end Austin Hooper to a $42 million deal. But new coach Kevin Stefanski used at least two tight ends 57 percent of the time when calling plays in Minnesota last season. According to ESPN, that was the highest rate of multiple tight-end sets in the NFL in 2019.


Stefanski has said he has formations including three tight ends! Njoku is with a coach who is close to being obsessed with the position. I put those words in italics because it’s important.

A healthy Njoku in the proper frame of mind is with an offense where he could have a huge season.

Njoku has to realize Berry was part of the 2017 Sashi Brown front office that traded up into the first round to grab him with the 29th pick.

Berry was a significant talent evaluator for that front office and has a stake in Njoku playing well. It’s part of the reason the 2021 option was picked up. Berry thinks the 24 year old can play, period.


In fact, the Browns are telling teams they are not anxious to deal Njoku, regardless of what his agent says.



WHAT’S THE DEAL?

The Browns drafted tight end Harrison Bryant in the fourth round. But if Njoku is worried about losing playing time to a fourth-round rookie, there is something wrong with his competitive spirit.

My guess is immaturity is at work.

He doesn’t have a realistic view of his situation. He neglects the fact that he’s a weak blocker. His hands are suspect. He has a lot of physical talent but doesn’t realize how frustrating he can be to a coach because of his lack of consistency.

He hired as his new agent Drew Rosenhaus, who was the agent who asked the Browns to trade Duke Johnson last year.

That made some sense. Future Pro Bowler Nick Chubb was starting at running back. The Browns had signed Pro Bowler Kareem Hunt, who was going to be eligible to play in the final eight games of 2019. The Browns were packed with running backs. Johnson was traded to Houston for a third-rounder.


But that’s not the case with tight ends for Njoku in 2020.

In 2018, Njoku caught 56 passes. He still dropped eight passes and had the highest drop rate of any tight end in 2018 according to Profootballfocus.

In contrast, Hooper has caught 146 passes compared to only four drops.

Remember the new motto for Berry/Stefanski: Players who are “tough, smart, accountable.” You also can add this: “Guys who want to be here.”


If I’m the Browns and Njoku’s desire to leave negatively impacts his attitude, he should be traded.

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2020/07...erry-pluto.html

They lost their 3rd round pick in their latest video escapade.

I don't see the point in keeping him. Hooper is the main guy, and Carlson and the rook are better than David. Heck, Pharaoh is probably as good as David.

I would like to get a 4th for him at least. Maybe throw in a ham sammich. We see again how much an underperforming malcontent can monopolize our publicity. Play him and use him up.

I do not think he can perform well enough to hold his position spot. Hooper?

This is the common perception that is repeated over and over again, but there are some caveats to the numbers. Stefanski might love TEs and he might not. I leave that topic open because of the WR situation in Minni last year. Both Diggs and Theilan missed some time w/injuries. Both guys are quality receivers and the Vikings had trash at the position behind them.

Thus, I don't know if Stefanski used TEs so frequently because he loves them so much or if he had to do so out of need.

I think the article was short-sighted on other levels, as well. Think about it...........the Browns have OBJ and Landry at WR. They are going to get a ton of targets. Hooper is the highest-paid TE in the game [has anyone complained about him being overpaid?] and will get a lot of targets. Chubb and Hunt will get targets. Hunt is especially good as a receiver. Not much left for Njoku. I can understand why he might want to play in a place where he has more opportunities.

That's right, my mistake. Well, we can ask for a 2nd in 21" or a 3rd and 5th in "22 !!!!

I agree. I don't see it as him being a malcontent. I think he sees the writing on the wall and he isn't going to have many opportunities. For receivers, it's about targets

That isn't going to help him with his next contract if his target total is around 30-40. Hunt is going to get more than that.

First of all I never said there was anything wrong with it other than it sends a pretty dim message to the team and fans.

I represent the clients, meaning corporations. That means that taking people and moving them from one client to another would be consider to be a horrible move. One demonstrating a lack of Character

Sorry, that now makes sense, you working for the company and not working so much for the worker.

I was thinking in reverse. My bad.