5 Cleveland Browns who are coming back no matter what
By Chad Porto
David Njoku
We can sit here and debate until we’re blue in the face but here’s what we know; David Njoku is an unreliable big-play target, who despite claims to the contrary, has not improved as a blocker. That’s one of those cute lies someone told and fans glommed onto because they needed Njoku to be “that guy”.
He’s not, he’s a guy. Njoku is by no means a scrub, he’s a perfectly reliable starter. Reliable starters should not be given $54 million when you’re going to need more help in the passing game as the Browns’ expensive quarterback signing continues to inflict malicious intent against the cap.
With no real money to play with heading into 2023, contracts like Njoku’s, contracts that are being paid to players with a serious habit of underperforming, become far more likely to get a GM fired than anything.
With the Browns now paying $45 million per year for the next four years to one guy, cutting a guy like Njoku would inflict no less than $8 million against the cast (across two years if traded). If he’s outright cut, you’re looking at over $6 million for two years or $13 million against one year.