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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku has shown a lot of promise in his couple of years in the league, but new head coach Freddie Kitchens thinks he still has a ton of room to grow.
Speaking to the media recently, Kitchens said Njoku is still very much a work in progress, per Tom Reed of The Athletic.
“I think David Njoku needs to get better at both of them,” Kitchens said in regard to pass-catching and blocking. “I do not see a finished product there. I do not know what that means. If David flexes out, he is expected to catch the ball. When he is in line, he is expected to block. He is a tight end. He needs to get better at both of them.”
Kitchens is known for his bluntness, and he isn't going to pull punches. That's part of why the Browns made him head coach in the first place, and hopefully, his comments motivate Njoku even further.
The Browns drafted Njoku 29th overall back in 2017, and they knew at the time he was still a project. Njoku was widely regarded as an athletic freak who had a lot of potential, but who needed a lot of refining.
He's lived up to that billing during his time in the pros so far, showing a lot of flashes but also struggling at times. Last year as a sophomore, Njoku had 56 catches for 639 yards and four touchdowns.
The Browns' offense caught fire down the stretch last year once Kitchens took over play-calling duties, and expectations are now sky-high heading into 2019. If Cleveland is going to take the next step in their progression, they need Njoku to put it all together.
