David Njoku seen with walking boot and crutches after Browns’ loss vs. Ravens

The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens both won in Week 7 and sit atop the AFC North. One team trending downward is the Cleveland Browns who are patiently waiting for Deshaun Watson to get through his 11-game suspension.

In the meantime, it has been mostly running back Nick Chubb keeping the Browns relevant amid their 2-5 record, but it hasn’t been enough to keep them close to the top of their division.

The Browns will welcome the Bengals in Week 7, and they could be without their starting tight end, David Njoku, who is on pace to have the best season of his six-year pro career. He’s also been an important safety net for veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

Following the Browns’ 23-20 loss to the Ravens in Week 7, Njoku was seen in a walking boot and using crutches, a bad sign for his availability in Week 8 and potentially longer. It’s also a bad sign that he was quickly ruled out of this game after injuring his ankle.

Njoku secured seven receptions for 71 yards before exiting in the third quarter. The former first-round pick has started to live up to his draft hype, totaling 34 receptions for 418 receiving yards and one score so far this season.

The Bengals have typically struggled against good tight ends, including allowing 10 catches for 89 yards to Mark Andrews in their primetime loss to Baltimore.

That said, the status for Njoku isn’t known, but as serious as ankle or foot injuries are, there seems to be a good chance he’ll miss the in-state battle in Week 8.