Njoku's chances of remaining with the Browns in 2020 improved after the organization parted ways with head coach Freddie Kitchens following the Week 17 loss to the Bengals, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
The tight end admitted he had "a couple differences" with Kitchens, who made Njoku a healthy inactive for Weeks 15 and 16 before the 23-year-old played just four of the Browns' 54 offensive snaps in the season finale. Njoku also missed 10 games with a wrist issue earlier in the season before being designated to return from injured reserve. When Njoku eventually returned to action Week 14 against the Bengals, he had a ball taken away from him on a play that was ruled as an interception. That displeased Kitchens, who eventually phased out the tight end. With Kitchens now out of the picture, the Browns are expected to give the 2017 first-round draft pick a fresh look under a new regime.