4 Browns players that must come up big in Preseason Week 1
By Greg Newland
No. 2 – David Njoku
After Cleveland gave David Njoku a massive extension this offseason, we haven’t heard a lot from camp about how he has looked. One thing is for certain, he doesn’t lack any athleticism. Njoku is one of the fastest guys on the field, can make acrobatic catches, and has the frame of an NFL tight end.
It always feels like it’s easier for a wide receiver and quarterback to get in sync. When it comes to a tight end, it’s more about the chemistry and relationship that they end up developing. And while it’s going to be exciting to see how Watson can utilize Njoku’s talent, there’s also a concern for how he will work with Brissett if he is going to get most of the snaps in 2022.
For the last two offseasons, all we heard about was how great Baker Mayfield and Austin Hooper looked in camp. But as soon as a live game scenario happened, that chemistry completely went away. I want to see on Friday night how Njoku performs with the quarterback. On a third and medium can they connect for a first down? Has Njoku improved his run-blocking technique even more from last season?
Njoku is a guy who can make up for the lack of talent at the receiver position, he just needs to stay healthy and get in rhythm with the quarterback. Let’s hope to see that in the first preseason game.