Commanders Trade Pitch Lands $70 Million Former First Round Pick
The Washington Commanders found out pretty quickly this season what kind of team they’d be without their best 2 players in quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who have both already missed multiple games due to injuries.
While it’s not clear when McLaurin is going to be able to come back from a quad/hip flexor injury that will see him miss a fourth consecutive game in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys, Daniels missed 2 games in which the Commanders went 1-1, but has gone 1-1 since returning in Week 5.
While Daniels began looking like his old self in a Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football, one thing he’s in desperate need of is more weapons at the skill positions — something the Commanders could fix with a trade.
CBS Sports NFL reporter Garrett Podell’s recent trade pitch would bring the Commanders another Pro Bowl tight end in Cleveland Browns star and former first round pick David Njoku alongside 35-year-old Commanders tight end Zach Ertz.
“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.”
What the Commanders give up for Njokun in a speculative trade is where the real debate begins — a 2026 or 2027 fourth or fifth round pick might be a good starting point.
Dominant NFL Tight End on Terrible Teams
Njoku, 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds, only played 2 seasons at the University of Miami and left school early for the NFL after putting up 43 receptions for 698 yards and 8 touchdowns in 12 games in 2016.
The Browns selected Njoku at No. 29 overall in the 2017 NFL draft — one of 3 tight ends picked in the first round. Njoku became a full time starter in his second season with 56 receptions for 639 yards and 4 touchdowns. He battled injuries in 2019 and 2020, missing 16 games, but bounced back in 2021 with 36 receptions for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Njoku has had at least 50 receptions, 500 yards and 4 touchdowns in each of the last 3 years and had a career year in 2023 with 81 receptions for 882 yards and 6 touchdowns while earning his only Pro Bowl nod.
While Njoku has gotten super duper paid by the Browns — he’ll have approximately $70.4 million in career earnings after 2025 — what that money hasn’t bought is wins.
In 8 NFL seasons with Njoku, the Browns have had just 2 winning seasons — also their only 2 playoff appearances in that stretch — and even went winless in 2017 with an 0-16 record.
Commanders Might Sweeten Pot With Sinnott
Depending how serious the Commanders think they are about being Super Bowl contenders in 2025, they might sweeten the pot for Njoku with offering up either veteran tight end John Bates or tight end and 2024 second round pick Ben Sinnott.
Bates is an elite blocker and could instantly help the Browns rushing attack. Sinnott could be a great backup option behind Fannin moving forward.
Two Lions Fined, No Chiefs
Two Detroit Lions received fines in the team's Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone and defensive tackle Tyler Lacy were both fined for Striking/Kicking/Tripping/Kneeing by the NFL. Anzalone was fined $12,172, while Lacy was fined $5,722. No Chiefs were fined after Sunday's game.
The Lions will be without safety Brian Branch in Monday's game, as he was suspended for his role in a postgame scuffle with Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
After being blocked in the back late in Sunday's game, Branch approached Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and threw an open-handed punch to set off the scrum. Smith-Schuster emerged from the pile with blood on his nose, and both Branch and Lions head coach Dan Campbell issued apologies after the game.
With the Lions' bye week set for next week, Branch will be set to return to action in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Plenty of fanfare has ensued from the incident, with Branch being in a spotlight as the result of his actions. With an NFL video being critical of the defender and numerous comments from analysts across the league, the Lions have united around him.
Campbell noted that the team has defender Branch as their teammate, and situations such as this one could be an avenue for the group to come even closer together.
"That's what our guys are about, man. We overcome adversity, and listen that's their brother. If you're gonna attack their brother, that's what they're gonna do," Campbell said. "We've got a tight-knit group, and (I've) already mentioned this, B.B.'s a good dude. He's paying for what happened, and he'll be back ready to go for Minnesota."
Speaking earlier in the week, Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard defended Branch as well. He noted that the incident doesn't have to define the third-year safety, but will be a learning opportunity.
"Outside of the field, I mean the most soft-spoken guy you’ll ever meet, the most respectable guy you’ll ever meet," Sheppard said. "But those 30 seconds in that spotlight could change how people view you and how people see you. So just always remember that in this profession, in life, one wrong decision could now peg you as a person that you’re nowhere near to being. So, I think he understands that more than anybody right now and he’ll learn and grow from that situation.”
With Branch out and Kerby Joseph's status uncertain, the Lions could rely on Thomas Harper and newly signed Jammie Robinson to contribute in the secondary.
