For the Browns, all attention has been on the first start of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and with good reason. Sanders, of course, was slated to be a first-round pick last April and plummeted in a way that no player has plummeted before in the history of the NFL draft, all the way to the fifth round. That’s where the Browns scooped him up and found themselves pretty quickly locked in the kind of controversy that caused so many teams to pass on Sanders in the first place.
Sanders was not starting. But pretty much everyone wanted him to start. The Browns gave the job to Joe Flacco, and then to Dillon Gabriel, and now, with Flacco traded and Gabriel in concussion protocol, it’s finally Sanders’ turn.
When he takes the field against the Raiders on Sunday for the first time as a Browns starter, ideally, Sanders will have all weapons on hand. Alas, the Browns have one critical injury that could affect Sanders’ performance: tight end David Njoku is injured.
Browns Could Be Missing David Njoku
Njoku, it was announced, did not practice with the Browns on Wednesday. He has been dealing with a knee injury for more than a month, but has been playing through it. Typically, he has been limited in practice, but he got the full day off on Wednesday, raising concerns about his availability.
Certainly, it will be helpful for the Browns to have all the short-yardage options they can get on hand for Sunday. Njoku was the team’s No. 2 receiver last year, with 64 catches, and was a Pro Bowler in 2023. He has lost his prominence in the tight end room because of the rise of rookie Harold Fannin Jr., but Njoku is a veteran whose presence will be welcome for Sanders.
But Njoku’s injury has him in question this weekend.
Coach Kevin Stefanski said, “I’d say day to day, but he’s working hard.”
David Njoku a Key Blocker
Njoku could be a valuable pass-blocker at tight end for the Browns, who will need to protect Sanders against one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL, Maxx Crosby. He is certainly a player on the mind of Stefanski going into the game.
“Yeah, I have a ton of respect for how he plays the game,” Stefanski said. “He goes 100 miles an hour about 100% of the time. He has the energy and the effort, the finish for a 60-minute football game. It’s really impressive. He can line up on either side, he can really show up anywhere on the field. But the way he plays is truly remarkable.”
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