The Washington Commanders quickly learned what kind of team they would be this season without their two best players: quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Both have already missed multiple games due to injuries. While it’s still unclear when McLaurin will return from a quad/hip flexor injury that is set to sideline him for a fourth consecutive game in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys, Daniels missed two games during which the Commanders went 1-1. Since returning in Week 5, Daniels has also gone 1-1.
Daniels showed signs of looking like his old self during the Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. However, one thing he desperately needs is more weapons at the skill positions—a problem the Commanders could potentially address via trade.
### Potential Trade Target: David Njoku
CBS Sports NFL reporter Garrett Podell recently pitched a trade scenario that would bring the Commanders an experienced Pro Bowl tight end in Cleveland Browns star David Njoku. Njoku, a former first-round pick, would join 35-year-old Commanders tight end Zach Ertz to bolster Washington’s tight end group.
“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.”
The key question revolves around what the Commanders would need to give up for Njoku in a speculative trade. A 2026 or 2027 fourth or fifth-round pick could be a reasonable starting point for negotiations.
### Njoku: A Dominant Tight End on Struggling Teams
Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 246 pounds, Njoku played only two seasons at the University of Miami before declaring for the NFL Draft after his 2016 season. In 12 games that year, he recorded 43 receptions for 698 yards and eight touchdowns. The Cleveland Browns selected him 29th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft—one of three tight ends chosen in the first round.
Njoku became a full-time starter in his second season, totaling 56 receptions for 639 yards and four touchdowns. He battled injuries in 2019 and 2020, missing 16 games, but rebounded in 2021 with 36 receptions, 375 yards, and four touchdowns.
Over the last three years, Njoku has consistently produced at least 50 receptions, 500 yards, and four touchdowns annually. He enjoyed a career-best season in 2023 with 81 receptions, 882 yards, and six touchdowns, earning his first and only Pro Bowl nod.
Despite Njoku’s impressive individual performance and lucrative contract, his presence hasn’t translated into team success. After eight NFL seasons, the Browns have managed only two winning seasons—and those coincided with their only two playoff appearances during his tenure. They even endured a winless 0-16 season in 2017.
### Commanders Might Sweeten the Deal with Additional Tight Ends
Depending on how serious Washington is about contending for the Super Bowl in 2025, they might sweeten their trade offer for Njoku by including either veteran tight end John Bates or the Commanders’ 2024 second-round pick tight end Ben Sinnott.
Bates is an elite blocker who could immediately boost the Browns’ rushing attack. Sinnott offers a promising backup option behind Harold Fannin Jr., potentially making him a valuable asset for Cleveland’s rebuilding roster.
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With the potential addition of David Njoku, the Commanders could significantly enhance their offensive weapons and give Jayden Daniels the support he needs to turn the 2025 season around. The coming weeks will reveal how aggressively Washington pursues this trade opportunity and what they’re willing to sacrifice to upgrade their skill positions.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/washington-commanders/trade-pitch-tight-end-david-njoku/
