Miami Dolphins Among Favorites to Land Cleveland Browns Tight End David Njoku

Are the Miami Dolphins in the market to add another skill position player before the 2020 season?

On July 3, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku asked the team to trade him before training camp begins. The Browns signed tight end Austin Hooper in the offseason, but the Browns still reportedly told Njoku they want to keep him around.

So, where do the Dolphins fit into this equation?

Tight end Mike Gesicki had a breakout sophomore season in 2019 after a subpar rookie campaign. He finished with 51 receptions for 570 yards and five touchdowns after failing to score as a rookie.

Still, one analyst believes the Dolphins would be wise to trade for Njoku and pair him with Gesicki.

“The Dolphins are loaded with salary-cap space (they rank fourth in that area, per Spotrac) and draft capital (they have extra picks in the first two rounds next year), and the jury’s still out on 2018 second-round pick Mike Gesicki,” Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon wrote.

Njoku, who turns just 24 years old later this week, could be a steal.

He played just four games due to injuries last season, but his 2018 season offers hope for a brighter future. Njoku had 56 receptions for 639 yards and four touchdowns that season, similar numbers to what Gesicki had in 2019.

Injuries don’t appear to be a chronic issue, as Njoku played 16 games in each of his first two seasons before getting hurt last year.

Part of what makes this potential deal more intriguing is that Njoku and Gesicki could fit well together as a two-headed monster at tight end.

“Still, it’d make sense for a rebuilding team to add more young skill at a position that lacks established talent, and it’s not as though Miami can’t use both players in 2020 before potentially making a decision in a year or two about the team’s future at that position,” Gagnon wrote.

Njoku currently has two years left on his rookie contract after the Browns exercised his fifth-year option in April. Gesicki also has two years remaining on his deal, so the pair would have ample time to acclimate to each other on the field.