How will the Cleveland Browns offense fare without David Njoku?

The Cleveland Browns were dealt a blow when it was reported David Njoku will miss time with a broken wrist, so how could it affect the offense?

The Cleveland Browns offense has struggled out of the gates and has been an inefficient unit during the first two games of the season. The team was hoping they could flip the switch after their performance against the Jets, but they will need to do so without David Njoku.

Njoku suffered a broken wrist on the same play he suffered a concussion against the Jets, which is going to cause him to miss the next several weeks. And his absence could ultimately hurt the Browns offense.

The 23-year-old tight end has proven to be an effective red zone threat, while also being a big target for Baker Mayfield who can gain yards after the catch. It will be hard for the Browns to replace Njoku’s ability at tight end, and it could cause more attention being placed on the other weapons on the offense.

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Demetrius Harris, who has primarily been the blocking tight end for the Browns, will likely be Njoku’s replacement. He has not had many opportunities on the field in his career, catching 58 receptions for 609 yards and six touchdowns in 73 career games. During his short stint with the Browns, Harris has been less than impressive, including his blocking ability.

Pharaoh Brown and Ricky Seals-Jones will also see an increase in their roles. Brown has been featured as a blocking tight end and has contributed very little as a receiver. On the other hand, Seals-Jones is a converted wide receiver and is a big-body who could be utilized in the passing attack.

However, even if the Browns boast big bodies at tight end, they do not have the same athleticism as Njoku. Njoku’s ability to matchup with defensive backs and use his athleticism to create space helped the Browns passing attack all over the field. Without that threat in the offense, defenses can rely on their linebackers to cover Cleveland’s tight ends.

Njoku also had to be accounted for on every play because of his receiving ability. This helped create some openings for Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. But now, defenses can once again key on Beckham and Landry without the threat of being picked apart in the seams.

The Browns are going to need to get creative to help create openings for their offense without Njoku. Whether it be relying on Landry or Rashard Higgins in the middle of the field, Cleveland’s going to need to alter their passing attack. It will also cause them to not rely as much on the vertical passing attack they have been attempting the first two weeks of the season.

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Njoku’s absence is going to force the Browns to make changes to their gameplan. They are going to be without one weapon who attracted attention from defenses. And without a replacement who has the same type of skill set, it creates another complexity for the Browns as they attempt to find their offensive identity.

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