Cleveland Browns are playing their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. One of the key members of the offense is veteran tight end David Njoku. But the game didn’t turn out too well for him. Curious? Let us explain.
At 8:46 in 3rd quarter of the season opener, he took a big hit from defensive back Malik Hooker, after which he landed on the ground. When he stood up, he was seen walking to the medical tent. Soon after that, he went to the locker room with the medical team. Bad News! He suffered an ankle injury.
David Njoku is headed to the locker room pic.twitter.com/utTYmP5HQX
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 8, 2024
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The TE isn’t out of today’s game only. He might be ruled out for the next few weeks. While we await the details, today’s incident brought back memories of his practice camp issues, when he didn’t take part in many drills because of soreness. He even missed the first preseason due to it. But Njoku was not the only Browns player who got injured.
LB Mohamoud Diabate also injured his hip. The PA has announced that he would not return to the field. When David Njoku left the field, the Browns were struggling with 27-3. However, in case his injury is a major one, the problems might be much bigger for the team.
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Let’s assess the Browns’ options in the tight-end department.
David Njoku out! Who will be in?
What’s your perspective on:
Can the Browns survive without David Njoku, or is this the beginning of their downfall?
Have an interesting take?
Browns only have 2 tight ends in their roster – David Njoku and Jordan Akins. They have two more options – Blake Whiteheart and Cameron Latu. In his 5 seasons so far, Akins has 1755 receiving yards with 151 receptions and 8 touchdowns. 2024 is his first year with the Browns, hence that may also affect his performance if he has to take sudden responsibility. The 49ers drafted Latu in 2023, but he missed his rookie season because of a torn meniscus. Whiteheart also has a similar story.
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He was drafted by Cardinals in 2023 but hasn’t played a single NFL match yet. The stats clearly show that these 3 TEs are not a suitable replacement for David Njoku. The 7-year veteran has 3,264 receiving yards with 287 receptions and 25 touchdowns. Additionally, he has been with Browns for all those seasons, hence he is well-versed in their system.
Browns cannot afford a player of Njoku’s caliber to miss even one game because of an injury. The dawg pound is rooting for an early comeback for David Njoku. Stay connected while we bring any further updates on his injury!
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Debate
Can the Browns survive without David Njoku, or is this the beginning of their downfall?