David Njoku suffered a knee injury in the Cleveland Browns’ week six loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns return home to Cleveland to host the Miami Dolphins in week seven, but may have to play that game without their top tight end. Here’s the latest on the Browns’ top tight end’s status.
Will David Njoku Play in Week 7?
The knee injury to Njoku came during the week six game against the Steelers during a collision with former Cleveland safety Juan Thornhill.
“Unclear at this point if [Njoku will] play this week vs. the Dolphins, but the belief is that the injury isn’t anything significant,” said CBS Sports senior reporter Matt Zenitz.
“Left knee hyperextends, not a crazy amount but does hyperextend,” said Tom Christ, founder of Fantasy Injury Team. “Hip also being forced into external rotation which could put some stress on the LCL/posterolateral corner, ankle rolls too.”
As of Thursday, Njoku was still sidelined from practice, and the Browns’ tight end’s chances of playing in Week 7 are not looking good.
Losing Njoku would be a massive blow for a Browns offense that has already struggled to score points. His status will be worth monitoring, but with the team at 1-5, rushing Njoku back appears unlikely.
Cleveland ranks as the No. 31 offense in PFSN’s 2025 offense impact rankings with a score of 55.4 (F). The Browns’ offense ranks dead last in points per game, and losing one of their top receiving options would not help the team in that aspect.
Njoku ranks as the No. 30 tight end in PFSN’s 2025 tight end impact rankings with a score of 74.1 (C). The 29-year-old tight end has caught 23 of 36 targets this season for 223 yards and a touchdown.
If he were to miss time, rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel would rely more heavily on fellow rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., Jerry Jeudy, and rookie running back Quinshon Judkins.
While Browns fans would like to see their star tight end on the field in week seven, there may be more to his status than just his health. If Njoku isn’t at 100%, with the trade deadline approaching, could that be a factor in whether he plays?
Could Njoku Be Traded Before the Trade Deadline?
The former Miami standout has spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the Cleveland Browns. He is third all-time on the team in receptions, and made a Pro Bowl in 2023, when he set career highs across the board with 123 targets, 81 receptions, 882 receiving yards, and six receiving touchdowns.
However, the team is staring at another high draft pick after the 2025 season, and Njoku is in the final year of his current contract. After trading Joe Flacco away in the division, the Browns have made it clear they aren’t opposed to trading players away, meaning Njoku could be one of the top names to watch at the trade deadline.
According to Hayden Winks, director at Underdog, Njoku joins a list of players that includes Breece Hall, Tony Pollard, Alvin Kamara, and Calvin Ridley, among others, as trade candidates.
One common trait among most players listed is that their teams have all struggled in 2025 and could be looking to get younger.
With the emergence of Fannin at tight end for Cleveland, Njoku has become expendable and may not be part of their long-term plans. What he would bring back in a trade is unclear, but several teams could use an upgrade at the tight end position, and if Njoku becomes available, he could draw interest.
Fannin leads the Browns in receiving yards with 254, while catching 28 of 38 targets and adding a touchdown. The rookie tight end out of Bowling Green has impressed early in the season and appears to be a big part of Cleveland’s future.
Njoku’s health will determine whether he can be traded at the deadline, so if there is any concern, the team could hold him out longer to ensure they can move him if that is in their plans. His name will be worth monitoring over the next few weeks, both in terms of health and rumors in trade talks.