Browns tight end David Njoku 'week to week' with ankle injury after loss vs. Cowboys

CLEVELAND — The Browns got the bad news they were expecting with tight end David Njoku .

Coach Kevin Stefanski said on a Zoom call Monday that Njoku will be "week to week" with an ankle injury sustained Sunday in a season-opening 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys . The tight end underwent tests on the ankle Monday, but Stefanski wouldn't elaborate on the nature of the injury.

Njoku is one of three Browns players listed by Stefanski as "week to week" with ankle injuries, along with linebacker Tony Fields II and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II. Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate is also week to week with a hip flexor.

The Browns play at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. With Jordan Akins as the only other tight end on the active roster, Stefanski wouldn't say what the plan was to deal with the loss.

"Yeah, working through all those type of things today and tomorrow," Stefanski said. "But we have options and we'll work through them."

The injury occurred with just over 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter of Sunday's loss while Njoku was running after the catch and being brought down by Dallas linebacker Eric Kendricks.

As Njoku was being twisted down, safety Malik Hooker arrived and delivered a blow to finish off the tackle. The combination of Kendricks pulling him down from behind and Hooker hitting him from the front caused his ankle to get caught on the ground, resulting in the injury.

Njoku went first to the medical tent for a moment, then to the locker room. While the Browns in the moment announced him as questionable to return, he never played another snap.

On a day when no one involved with the Browns' passing game had a good day, Njoku's 44 receiving yards was the best on the team. He had four catches on five targets, the only miss a drop on the third offensive possession of the game.

"I think we'll see how this week goes," Stefanski said, "but Dave, as you know, provides great value to this team in a bunch of different areas. But if we are without him, then we'll make sure that we have a plan."

Akins played 43 offensive snaps (57%), compared to Njoku's 28 (37%). He had three catches on four targets for 27 yards against Dallas.

The Browns do have two tight ends — Cameron Latu and Blake Whitehurst — on the practice squad. Latu, who spent last season on injured reserve with the San Francisco 49ers, has never played an NFL regular-season game, and Whitehurst played in two games for the Arizona Cardinals last season.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns tight end David Njoku 'week to week' with ankle injury after loss vs. Cowboys