BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Kevin Stefanski’s love of tight ends and the use of 13 personnel will be put to the test this week.
He might not be able to use it.
Stefanski, a lover of three tight end sets, ruled tight end Harrison Bryant out Wednesday and he’s not sure if David Njoku will be able to return from the reserve/COVID-19 list in time to play Sunday against the AFC North leading Ravens.
“You just do not know,” Stefanski said regarding Njoku. “Yeah sure, I am hopeful, but we have to plan if we do not have him. If we have him, that would be great.”
Njoku was placed on reserve/COVID-19 Tuesday following a positive test but has tweeted multiple times “I don’t feel a thing.”
Njoku has also conveyed as much to teammates that have reached out to him.
“I was happy to hear he's doing fine,” tight end Austin Hooper said. “Hopefully he goes through these next couple tests with no issues, and we'll welcome David back in the building here soon.”
Njoku, who leads the Browns with 407 receiving yards, caught the Browns’ only touchdown against Baltimore two weeks ago. He’s averaging 15.1 yards per reception and is tied with Donovan Peoples-Jones with three receiving TDs this season – tops on the team.
That leaves the primary production at the position likely up to Hooper, who has not put up big numbers since signing a four-year, $42 million contract last year to join the Browns.
“We’re going to have to adapt a little bit, obviously going to have to have some guys step up and make more plays, but nothing that nobody’s, you know incapable of doing,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “So we’re going to ask some things of guys that haven’t had a huge role yet, but you just gotta move on and do your job.”
Hooper, a two-time Pro Bowler, has 28 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns this season and he’s totaled 74 catches for 696 yards and six touchdowns in 25 games in Cleveland.
Stefanski cautioned anyone from judging Hooper’s impact simply on statistics.
“Hoop gives us a lot of valuable reps out there going back to last year,” Stefanski said. “I know it is easy to point to some of the statistics, but David Njoku is out there, as well, and Harrison is out there, as well. We are featuring that tight end group as opposed to just one guy.
“Now without those guys, certainly, you can expect Hoop’s number of plays to go up, and we are counting on him. I think he relishes those type of opportunities, but he has been instrumental in what we do as an offense – run game and pass game.”
Bryant, who serves as the third tight end, suffered a high ankle sprain November 28 in a 16-10 loss to the Ravens and he could still be placed on injured reserve.
“He is progressing,” Stefanski said. “I am not ready to say exactly what we are going to do or when we can expect him back, but he is progressing.”
Tight end Miller Forristall was signed from the practice squad to the active 53 Tuesday but he hasn’t played in an NFL game. The undrafted rookie from Alabama caught 44 passes for 505 yards and five touchdowns in 54 games for the Crimson Tide.
“He has been with us for quite a bit of time,” Stefanski said. “We have been around him. We got to see him work against our defense in scout team situations. Very attentive. Very good in the meeting room. Felt like he would help us just based on his readiness.”
Ross Travis, signed to the practice squad Tuesday, and fullback Johnny Stanton IV, restored from the practice squad COVID list this week, could also be called upon to help fill the void.
“13 [personnel] is a big part of who we are,” Stefanski said. “If we do not have those guys, obviously, you have to pivot.”