Dallas Cowboys: 3 Tight Ends to Target via Free Agency or Trade
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys TE Option 2
David Njoku
Status: Cleveland IR
Age: 24
David Njoku has been on bit of a rollercoaster the past few months. He’s had more ups and downs than a preschool teeter-totter (Note: I had a funnier and far less tasteful example of “ups and downs” but I didn’t have the guts to use it).
This offseason in Cleveland, he went from clear TE1, to second fiddle behind Austin Hooper, to the third option behind Harrison Bryant all in a matter of months. The moves were a gut punch to the former first round superstar out of Miami, and enough to push Njoku to demand a trade.
Once it became clear a trade wasn’t going to happen, Njoku accepted his fate and rescinded his demand. And it paid off on Sunday when Njoku had arguably his best all-around game as a pro. He blocked well and finished the day with three receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. His play on the field earned him Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 TE rating this young season and showed the world how talented Njoku really can be in this league.
The only problem is – he got hurt.
Like Jarwin, Njoku also hurt his knee on Sunday, but unlike Jarwin, he’s expected to come back. Under the new Injured Reserve rules, teams can bring players back after three weeks and that’s what the Browns are hoping to do with Njoku.
While he’s out Hooper will dominate the bulk of opportunities and the rookie Bryant will fully embed as TE2 and start the grooming process that tight ends often require. When Njoku does come back, the Browns may not be very eager to steal snaps from the two tight ends they consider to be their future at TE.
With COVID-19 crippling the college football season the 2021 NFL draft promises to be more of a crap-shoot than ever before. As such, bust rates on picks will be at an all-time high and trading away a top-100 pick no longer seems as costly as it does most seasons.
David Njoku wouldn’t be cheap but he’d be effective and allow this Dallas Cowboys offense to pick up where it left off before they lost Jarwin. Njoku has youth and elite potential on his side and he’d be under contract for the next two seasons (through 2021). This is a home run win-now swing.