David Njoku thinks 'it's only matter of time' connection with Deshaun Watson hits big

BEREA — The standard in quarterback-tight end combinations for the last several years has resided in Kansas City, where Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce have become the gold standard, arguably one of the best to play in the modern history of the league.

Browns tight end David Njoku isn't about to put what he is developing with quarterback Deshaun Watson in that category. He knows how that would sound.

However, Njoku does believe the connection that he's steadily developing with the new Browns quarterback could become something special if given a chance to develop.

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"First off, those two are legendary, you know what I mean?" Njoku said Tuesday. "All the kudos to them, Patrick and Trav and, yeah, I feel like we can definitely do things similar to that as well. It's only a matter of time, so I'm very excited."

Njoku missed Watson's return from an 11-game suspension against the Houston Texans on Dec. 4 due to an knee injury. However, since returning from the injury on Dec. 11 at the Cincinnati Bengals, it hasn't taken too long for him to find a connection with the new quarterback.

Certainly, it's become obvious one thing that was always seen as a possibility once Watson became the quarterback has come true. He was known during his time with the Texans for targeting his tight ends, and he's quickly found Njoku to be one of his favorites targets.

Njoku has been targeted 15 times over the last two games. Only Donovan Peoples-Jones' 16 targets are more in that same span, and one of those targets was on a fourth-down throw from Jacoby Brissett in Cincinnati.

"I saw it beforehand," Watson said after the Bengals game. "I saw it before I was playing. I saw it when Jacoby was out there and in the last two weeks I see it. We all just gotta continue to see it, continue to see it, through the same lens, through the same eyes. Not just with me and the players but also with (coach) Kevin (Stefanski) and AVP (offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt) and the whole offense.

"There's things that they're learning that I like in certain situations. Same thing with me in certain situations. I gotta learn with them. So this is a process and we gotta keep going together and sticking together and keep pushing forward."

To get there, there's no doubt it will involve Watson and Njoku connecting regularly. Already, the two have connected for 10 completions for 87 yards, as well as Watson's first touchdown pass with Browns, a 13-yard toss to Njoku against the Bengals.

In the red zone, Watson has looked toward Njoku four times, completing three passes for 30 yards, including the touchdown. That touchdown was the third of three consecutive passes to Njoku, the first two outside of the red zone, for 20 yards.

"I think we're definitely getting there," Njoku said. "We keep progressing every week. I feel like we're nowhere near, we're not even scratching the surface of what we could be. And I mean that as a complete offense. We have so much talent on the offense that we haven't utilized yet. So I think there's so much more we can do."

That's something that has been said about Njoku since he was selected in the first round of the 2017 draft with the No. 29 pick out of the University of Miami. It was only ratcheted up in late May when he signed a four-year extension worth a maximum of $56.75 million.

The stability brought on by the new deal certainly has to have given him a comfort level that has translated into what is shaping up as a career year for Njoku. That's even though he's missed three games due to a high ankle sprain (Week 8 vs. Cincinnati, Week 10 at Miami) and the one game with a knee injury.

With three games still to play, starting with Saturday's home game against the New Orleans Saints, Njoku's 51 catches are five shy of his career-high set in 2018, and eighth among all tight ends this season. His 551 receiving yards are 88 yards shy of his career-best 639 yards, also set in his second season, and seventh among tight ends this season.

Watson continuing to get comfortable in the Browns offense as he continues to play games is something Njoku believes can only help across the board. It's the case of a talented quarterback bringing up the level of play of everyone around him.

"Absolutely," Njoku said. "I feel like he's very versatile. He can do almost everything, if not everything. I feel like when a play is normally dead with somebody else, I feel like he has the power to keep it going and potentially make a bigger play than we would’ve expected to happen. So, very happy he’s on our side."

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: David Njoku sees big things in connection with Deshaun Watson