INDIANAPOLIS — Browns running back Kareem Hunt and tight end David Njoku, who have both been on thin ice over the past few months, both have a future with the Browns, GM Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski said at the NFL combine.
“We have some good players who are already on the roster,’’ Berry said during his podium interview. “Obviously, David Njoku. David didn't quite have the year that he anticipated this past fall, but we still view David as a talented pass catcher and a guy that we expect to take a step forward in this upcoming year."
Njoku is back in such good graces with this new regime that Berry, who helped draft him, sounded like he’s leaning toward picking up is fifth-year option by the May 3 deadline, along with that of fellow 2017 first-rounder Myles Garrett.
“I wouldn’t disclose any of those kind of business decisions in this setting," Berry said. "But it’s safe to say we view both those guys as very, very talented members of our roster and we look forward to seeing what they’re going to do over the next few years.”
Stefanski, who runs a lot of two tight end sets or 12 personnel, is eager to dust off Njoku and get him rolling again. Last year, he fell out of favor with Freddie Kitchens and was a healthy scratch twice in the final four games after recovering from a broken wrist. He finished with five catches for 41 yards and a TD in four games.
“I’m looking forward to working with him,’’ Stefanski said during his podium interview. “There’s an obvious skillset there. There’s a reason he was drafted that high (No. 29 overall). I think you can see it just in his physical ability and it’s a big year for David. I’ve explained that to him.
“He knows that and a lot of that is going to be up to him and the amount of work he puts into this and we have big plans for him but it’s about, for him, coming back in the building and working and then ultimately being able to see if we can utilize him in a role that can take advantage of some of his skillset.”
Stefanski divides his tight ends into two categories and will need some of each.
“There’s some in-line, true, what we’ll call Y tight ends, those are your bigger type guys that are on the line of scrimmage,’’ he said. “Then our F tight ends, which have to move around the formation, line up in different spots and do a bunch of different jobs. Again, I always try to think of it from the defensive coordinator’s perspective, what’s going to make life hard on them, and that would be a guy that you can move around the formation."
He thinks Njoku, who caught 56 passes for 639 yards and four TDs in 2018, can be play either role.
“We’re going to work through that,’’ he said. “He really could be both, and there are guys that can kind of bounce back and forth and you can utilize in different roles. But I really want to get around him and then see him up close in person before we make a determination on him.’’
Hunt, who’s been put on blast by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam after being found with weed and smelling like alcohol during a speeding stop last month, will receive a tender offer as a restricted free agent, Berry said.
“Yes, that’s the anticipation right now,’’ he said. “Right now Kareem is a member of our organization. Kevin and I have both spoken to him this offseason and he understands the expectations that we have for him moving forward and we’re looking forward to him being a member of our team provided that he and all of players abide by our expectations.’’
Stefanski, who values the run game, is also eager to work with Hunt.
“Kareem’s a good player,’’ he said. “I’ve had conversations with him already. There’s a future for Kareem here, obviously, and we’ll work through all that. But he’s a player certainly that we’re eager to get to work with.
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