Browns’ David Njoku Picked As the Best Trade Candidate Amid QB Room Shakeup

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Brendan Howe | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 7:09 PM ET

The Cleveland Browns sat veteran Joe Flacco for rookie third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel this week. Fellow rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is making headlines for other reasons, but the attention that head coach Kevin Stefanski’s team likely won’t add up to much success on the field. Tight end David Njoku could become a piece the team moves to position itself for a brighter future.

“Moving Njoku, who is in a contract year, would likely bring some valuable draft capital in return,” Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox wrote on Monday. “”That’s noteworthy because if Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders doesn’t look like Cleveland’s QB answer at the end of this season, the Browns likely will chase a quarterback in the 2026 draft.”

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku and Kansas City Chiefs safety L'Jarius SneedJay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Knox thinks the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers would suit Njoku, who he sees as being worth a conditional 2026 third-round draft pick. The Giants, which are continuing along with rookie Jaxson Dart at the controls, could use another pass-catcher after second-year standout receiver Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending ACL tear last weekend.

Theo Johnson leads Big Blue’s tight ends with nine catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Njoku, the No. 29 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, has spent the entirety of his eight-plus-year career with the Browns. So far this season, he’s registered 14 receptions for 128 yards. He’s also moved the chains four times for Cleveland, which sits alongside the banged-up Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North cellar.

Rookie Harold Fannin is out-producing Njoku, which could lead Stefanski to believe the former could take the spot over going forward.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: