Browns Will Regret Not Making This Pro Bowl Trade

The Cleveland Browns should have dealt this Pro Bowler at the NFL trade deadline.

Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) runs with the ball after a catch while tackled by New York Jets safety Tony Adams (bottom) during the first half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns did make a move at the NFL trade deadline, sending edge rusher Za'Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions.

But that was all the Browns had to offer.

Cleveland stood pat elsewhere, which came as a bit of a surprise given all of the tradeable players the team had/has on its roster.

One such player is tight end David Njoku.

Njoku was viewed as a fringe trade candidate heading into the deadline, given the fact that the Browns are just 2-7 on the season and should probably start stockpiling some draft capital.

Plus, Njoku has just one year remaining on his deal, and he has been quiet a disappointment this season, logging 30 catches for 255 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

Yes, the 28-year-old made a Pro Bowl last season after hauling in 81 receptions for 882 yards and six scores, but a good chunk of that production came with Joe Flacco at quarterback.

Not only that, but Njoku has been maddeningly inconsistent throughout his Browns career. As a matter of fact, between 2019 and 2021, the pass-catcher accumulated 729 receiving yards as a whole.

Injuries have certainly played a role in Njoku's vacillating numbers in Cleveland, but he has also been rather shaky overall.

For a tight end with such incredible talent, Njoku has largely been underwhelming since being selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Do the Browns really want to commit to such volatility long term? Njoku turns 29 in July, and he has a rather questionable injury history.

Say what you want about Cleveland's quarterback situation in 2024, but the University of Miami product has been generally pedestrian regardless throughout his entire career.

Perhaps the Browns gauged the trade market for Njoku and didn't like what they were hearing. Maybe they will revisit trade talks in the spring.

But if Cleveland did have a viable offer for Njoku on the table and decided to pass, it may end up regretting it over the long haul.