There's a prevailing thought in the NFL that once you're drafted into the league, your new team is already looking for your replacement. So even when a team may have a Pro Bowl player filling a certain position, there are always eyes on the future.
That may be exactly what played out for the Cleveland Browns this offseason when they drafted Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. despite still having David Njoku on the roster.
As Njoku enters a contract year, though, he isn't taking the decision to draft Fannin Jr. as a slight. Quite the contrary, actually.
"Oh my God, he's a beast, right?" Njoku said before Monday's fifth day of training camp. "I love it. He's awesome. You know what I mean? It builds the competition. We get that much better together. He's awesome. He's a great kid."
It's hard not to see what Njoku and the Browns see in Fannin Jr. The Bowling Green product declared for the NFL Draft after setting multiple FBS records for tight ends, including receptions in a season (117), most receiving yards in a season (1,555) and most receptions in a game (17).
His pass-catching prowess is no secret and in Kevin Stefanski's 12-personnel heavy offense, he has a chance to feast alongside Njoku. The hope is that he'll also learn a thing or two from the veteran tight end, especially when it comes to developing as a blocker.
Njoku prides himself on being one of the best blocking tight ends in football. That's an area of Fannin Jr.'s game that can still be developed. Njoku plans on passing his expertise on to the 21-year-old.
"Yeah, I'm going to have him come over my house a lot more often," said Njoku. "You know what I'm saying? Just being around him. I feel like it's the energy, the want to, and that's really the most important."
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