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Nine Cleveland Browns entering make it or break it years in 2020

By Steve Gessic Jr

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 22: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns passes during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Ravens defeated the Browns 31-15. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 22: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns passes during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Ravens defeated the Browns 31-15. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 20: David Njoku #85 of the Cleveland Browns runs onto the field during the player introduction against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 20, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) David Njoku
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 20: David Njoku #85 of the Cleveland Browns runs onto the field during the player introduction against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 20, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) David Njoku /

David Njoku, Tight End

What? David Njoku? Why him? Kitchens didn’t play him enough last year. Njoku can’t block. In fairness all of those statements are true. Shoot, sometimes he doesn’t catch-all that well either, but if Mayfield is going to be his quarterback, Mayfield might want his go-to option in the red zone on the field.

Njoku does not block well, at all. Maybe that is why he is currently sitting at second on the depth chart, with Austin Hooper being first. The way it looks is there are three options: Teach him how to block and put the time in there, or don’t. He will still be awful at blocking but he might improve in catching.

Option three, move him out to wide receiver and allow him to be the big body downfield off the line of scrimmage, minimal blocking, and improve his pass catching during the offseason. That allows Njoku to narrow down his weaknesses and focus on his main goal of pass catching.

Ideally, a true tight end needs to block, not unbelievably well, but block much better than what Njoku has shown so far in his career. So what is the right option? Depends on the coaching staff. If he has already tried to be coached up on blocking then, the choice is easy, move him out to receiver. If the coaching staff hasn’t focused on his blocking, then that should have been the focus during the offseason.

The Cleveland Browns need a big target, why not continue to develop the big target they traded back into the first round for?

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