BEREA, Ohio -- Second-year Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku had a frustrating start to training camp because of troubles consistently hanging onto the football and spending extra time after practice working with quarterback Tyrod Taylor, offensive coordinator Todd Haley and wide receiver Rashard Higgins.
And while Njoku struggled his way through the first two weeks of training camp, just as he did a season ago, there was plenty of productivity in a 20-10 victory over the New York Giants in the 2018 preseason opener at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey last Thursday night.
Njoku led the way with two touchdown receptions in the victory, and did so with more than 20 family members and friends in the stands to support the Cedar Grove, New Jersey, native.
“It is always great doing things like that in front of your family and friends -- people that you care about,” Njoku said prior to Sunday’s practice.
PHOTOS: David Njoku catches two touchdowns in Cleveland Browns' preseason win over New York Giants
Njoku’s successes in front of family and friends came just two days after his struggles were well documented on the premiere episode of “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cleveland Browns” last Tuesday.
“No one really wants to have a bad day in practice or in a game, but those happen,” Njoku said. “It is how you bounce back and how you act after that. I just kept working, along with our whole team. Our focus is to get better. I believe that I am getting better.
“It is training camp. Things like that are going to happen. We are out here to practice and get better every day. I do not really see that as an off day. I see that as a day of learning. After that day, things have been going well. Just trying to work hard every day to be the best that I can be.”
Taylor spent extra time after a recent training-camp practice working on route-running and pass catching with Njoku, and that work paid off in the form of a go-ahead first-quarter touchdown against the Giants.
Njoku caught a 16-yard throw from Taylor at the 20-yard line, and then, outhustled Giants defenders down the field before diving across the goal line for the score, which gave the Browns a 7-3 lead over the Giants with 2:55 to play in the first quarter.
“It was great to win, but there is still a lot more work to do,” Njoku said. “We are just going to take it one day at a time, one practice at a time and just try to get better each day.”
Njoku was far from done leaving his mark on the preseason opener.
With the Browns facing a second-and-goal from the Giants’ 10-yard line, first-year quarterback Baker Mayfield fired a pass to the back of the end zone, where despite heavy coverage from New York’s secondary, Njoku pulled in the pass for the touchdown.
Njoku’s second receiving touchdown of the game gave the Browns a 13-3 lead over the Giants with 6:43 to play in the first half.
“Definitely more confident,” Njoku said. “Being a rookie, things come at you pretty fast and you are trying to slow it down. After a year of learning and playing NFL ball, things have definitely slowed down, and it is easier to notice things faster than it was last year. I definitely think that it helped.”
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