The Green Bay Packers are projected to be buyers heading into Tuesday's trade deadline. Armed with the best record in the NFC entering Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers, the Packers could make a deal for a cornerback, defensive tackle, or running back in the coming days. But another surprising need popped up during the 16-13 loss to Carolina when star tight end Tucker Kraft suffered a significant knee injury.
Kraft left the game after his knee buckled in the third quarter, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that “the fear” is that Kraft tore his ACL as he is set to undergo an MRI.
Regardless of how much time he misses, Kraft’s injury is a massive development for the Packers ahead of the trade deadline. Following an offseason where the Packers were looking for an alpha receiver, Kraft stepped into the role at the tight end position, catching 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns, including two catches for 20 yards before exiting Sunday’s game.
If those fears are confirmed, getting a tight end to replace Kraft must be on the Packers' radar, with one of the best options currently being on the Cleveland Browns' roster.
Tucker Kraft Injury Could Force Packers to Target Browns TE David Njoku
Kraft has been the one constant receiving threat in head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. If Kraft is out for a significant amount of time, it should have general manager Brian Gutekunst on the phone with the Browns to try and get tight end David Njoku out of Cleveland.
The Browns were on bye Sunday, but their 2-6 record indicates their season is circling the drain. Still, it didn’t stop ESPN’s Adam Schefter from reporting that Cleveland is “likely to be more buyers than sellers” at the deadline and specifically mentioned that the Browns “do not sound inclined to trade Njoku but have been calling around the league still looking to add quality young players to their roster.”
Schefter’s report makes it sound like the Browns aren’t looking for rentals but players that could help them in the long term. It also indicates that Cleveland isn’t interested in giving away Njoku for free, but could be interested at the right price.
Njoku doesn’t have Kraft’s production with 27 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns this season. But he is an athletic, pass-catching tight end who could soften the blow. He's tallied at least 58 catches, 500 yards, and four touchdowns in the three previous seasons, and is on pace for a 62-594-5 stat line if he stays healthy for the rest of the year. Not quite on Kraft's level, but a more well-known commodity than what Luke Musgrave brings to the table.
Additionally, Njoku is also in the final year of his contract, which should persuade the Browns to move on in favor of rookie Harold Fannin Jr — especially if there are no plans to re-sign the 29-year-old TE in the offseason.
Green Bay already indicated it was going all in when it traded for Micah Parsons, and going after Njoku would confirm that GM Gutekunst has championship aspirations.
The Packers may not have much to give in terms of young players or draft picks after the Parsons trade, but after falling out of the top spot in the conference and losing Kraft on Sunday, trading for Njoku is necessary.