The Cleveland Browns came into this season with the mindset of rejuvenation. So far, nothing appears to have changed. Their 1-3 record compelled them to move on from quarterback Joe Flacco and bring rookie Dillon Gabriel under center. But expecting this QB shuffling to magically make them a ‘contender’ is like wanting to ride on Santa’s sleigh to the North Pole. Could bringing in some assets work for Cleveland? 

While the start of October means Halloween planning for the country, it’s time to strategize for the trade deadlines in the big league. In a recent conversation discussing the biggest needs for NFL teams, insider Kevin Patra highlighted a prominent name from the Browns locker room in the trade conversation: David Njoku. At this point, the “biggest need” for the Browns is “building for the future.” And that requires sacrifice. 

Njoku is playing the final year of his contract with the Browns. Moving him would give Kevin Stefanski more space to bring in assets for the future. “David Njoku (in a contract year) could be on the move,” claimed insider Patra. Besides Njoku, the insider also claimed that CB Greg Newsome II, who’s in the final year of his contract, might also be up for trade discussion. “[Newsome II] could also be a trade option, particularly given the league-wide need for cornerbacks,” added Patra. 

If there’s any player who could bring in a valuable return to the team, it’s Njoku. The only reason he’s up in the trade conversation is the “emergence of rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr.” 

“The reason why we identified Harold in the draft—I thought they did a great job at Bowling Green, how they used him,” said Stefanski about Harold Fannin Jr.’s role in the offense. “We’re putting a lot on his plate and asking him to play multiple positions, meaning you’re going to have multiple jobs. He’s handling all of it very well.” Patra isn’t the only insider to pose Njoku as the best trade candidate for Cleveland. 

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report wrote, “Moving Njoku, who is in a contract year, would likely bring some valuable draft capital in return.” His reasoning? Trading Njoku can give the Browns a higher chance of acquiring a top draft pick. It could become a necessity for them in the 2026 NFL Draft, even if both Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders fail to prove themselves as franchise quarterbacks. If a trade does come into the picture, the 49ers are projected as a potential landing spot to pair him with George Kittle in the future and replace him in the meantime. 

Cleveland places faith in rookie Dillon Gabriel

The starting QB is a position that the Browns have struggled to stay consistent with for quite some time. They decided to put an end to it by bringing in three quarterbacks: one veteran and two rookies. The experiment with Flacco ultimately failed, leaving them with a 1-3 record. So, starting Week 5, rookie Gabriel has been handed the reins of offense. 

“He’s done everything really well since he’s been on campus here. We’re just going to have to support the young man,” said head coach Stefanski about having the rookie QB start on international soil in London against the Vikings. It won’t be an easy challenge, considering the opposing defense in mind, but the bigger concern in everyone’s minds (at least fans) is the infamous Browns curse. 

Before Gabriel, there have been 16 quarterbacks who made their debut donning Browns jerseys. Guess what? They all started their career with losses. The curse has been placed after the 1995 season—the last time a rookie QB led the team to a victory at 29-26 against the Bengals, recording 310 yards and a touchdown. It was Eric Zeier. 

Gabriel is already the 41st quarterback to start for the Browns, counting since 1999 when the franchise returned to the NFL following a legal settlement. At this point, the only hope lies in Stefanki’s words, who assured that the 24-year-old is “ready to go in as a starter.”