Browns tight end David Njoku showed flashes of talent after Cleveland took him in the first round of last year’s draft, but his rookie numbers of 32 catches for 386 yards and four touchdowns weren’t exactly earth-shattering. This year, Njoku should be better.
That’s the word from Browns head coach Hue Jackson, who said he sees Njoku doing a lot more in the offense this year.
“I expect to see a huge jump,” Jackson said. “He’s very athletic. He can catch and run. He’s going to be one of our playmakers.”
Njoku is still just 21 years old, and last year he might not have been ready for the physical demands of a 16-games season.
“I think for a young player that plays that kind of position week in and week out of blocking those outside linebackers and defensive ends, you wear down towards the end of the year,” Jackson said. “If anything I can say for David, that’s what I saw. Just the grind of playing a lot of football, a lot of minutes, that you look back and say, ‘Wow, this was tough.’”
Jackson thinks Njoku can have himself ready for a tough season in 2018, and make that huge jump.