The Washington Commanders found out pretty quickly this season what kind of team they’d be without their best 2 players in quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who have both already missed multiple games due to injuries.
While it’s not clear when McLaurin is going to be able to come back from a quad/hip flexor injury that will see him miss a fourth consecutive game in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys, Daniels missed 2 games in which the Commanders went 1-1, but has gone 1-1 since returning in Week 5.
While Daniels began looking like his old self in a Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football, one thing he’s in desperate need of is more weapons at the skill positions — something the Commanders could fix with a trade.
CBS Sports NFL reporter Garrett Podell’s recent trade pitch would bring the Commanders another Pro Bowl tight end in Cleveland Browns star and former first round pick David Njoku alongside 35-year-old Commanders tight end Zach Ertz.
“Fortunately for the Commanders, the Browns are 1-5, and their leader in catches (28) and receiving yards (254) happens to be rookie third-round pick tight end Harold Fannin Jr.,” Podell wrote on October 15. “That makes tight end David Njoku, who is set to become a free agent next offseason, expendable for the rebuilding Browns. Washington should do what it takes to get the former Pro Bowl tight end added to Daniels’ arsenal in order to salvage its 2025 season.”
What the Commanders give up for Njokun in a speculative trade is where the real debate begins — a 2026 or 2027 fourth or fifth round pick might be a good starting point.
Dominant NFL Tight End on Terrible Teams
Njoku, 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds, only played 2 seasons at the University of Miami and left school early for the NFL after putting up 43 receptions for 698 yards and 8 touchdowns in 12 games in 2016.
The Browns selected Njoku at No. 29 overall in the 2017 NFL draft — one of 3 tight ends picked in the first round. Njoku became a full time starter in his second season with 56 receptions for 639 yards and 4 touchdowns. He battled injuries in 2019 and 2020, missing 16 games, but bounced back in 2021 with 36 receptions for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Njoku has had at least 50 receptions, 500 yards and 4 touchdowns in each of the last 3 years and had a career year in 2023 with 81 receptions for 882 yards and 6 touchdowns while earning his only Pro Bowl nod.
While Njoku has gotten super duper paid by the Browns — he’ll have approximately $70.4 million in career earnings after 2025 — what that money hasn’t bought is wins.
In 8 NFL seasons with Njoku, the Browns have had just 2 winning seasons — also their only 2 playoff appearances in that stretch — and even went winless in 2017 with an 0-16 record.
Commanders Might Sweeten Pot With Sinnott
Depending how serious the Commanders think they are about being Super Bowl contenders in 2025, they might sweeten the pot for Njoku with offering up either veteran tight end John Bates or tight end and 2024 second round pick Ben Sinnott.
Bates is an elite blocker and could instantly help the Browns rushing attack. Sinnott could be a great backup option behind Fannin moving forward.
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