Packers need to make a trade to bring David Njoku to Green Bay
The Packers should be calling the Browns about a David Njoku trade.
The Green Bay Packers have been pariahs of the offseason. While most would’ve pegged their biggest need for the 2020 NFL season as pass-catching weapons to complement Aaron Rodgers, they completely neglected to address that. Yet, they have yet another opportunity to potentially right their wrong.
Last week, former first-round pick and current Browns tight end David Njoku asked for a trade from the team that initially selected him in 2017. For a player who entered the NFL with a ton of talent, Njoku has never fully realized that. So, with Cleveland signing Austin Hooper this offseason, it stands to reason that the soon-to-be 24-year-old would want a change of scenery.
For a player with his athletic pedigree, there should be no shortage of NFL teams interested in a David Njoku trade. But given their current situation, it would be foolish to not think that the Green Bay Packers should be one of the teams trying to make the move.
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David Njoku would address the Packers’ biggest needs.
Outside of Davante Adams, the Packers have no proven options in terms of pass-catchers. Yes, they would love for Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown or even Jace Sternberger to take a big step forward. There is no evidence, however, that’s going to happen other than the opportunity of playing with Rodgers for another year.
Njoku, in fairness, falls into that same category. Having said that, his shortcomings over his first three seasons aren’t entirely his fault. In 2017, the Browns were downright terrible as a whole. The following year, he had the best output (56-639-4) of his young career but was banged up and ill-used when on the field in the debacle of a 2019 season.
More importantly, the Packers haven’t gotten a chance to see him in their offense. And when it comes to finding answers on offense, the devil you don’t know might actually be better than the devil you do — because the former can sometimes eventually pay dividends.
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Though there would be risk for the Packers in a David Njoku trade, it would be calculated and worth it. Green Bay would be getting a pass-catcher to alleviate pressure off of Adams, Aaron Jones and, yes, Rodgers himself. Just as importantly, they might also be finding a long-term piece given Njoku’s age. If the price isn’t too terribly steep, it’s hard to imagine why they wouldn’t explore the possibility.