LA Chargers: Why David Njoku was a better option than Jared Cook

The LA Chargers found (at least part) of the team’s replacement for Hunter Henry on Thursday in veteran tight end, Jared Cook. The Bolts signed Cook to a one-year contract worth up to $6 million with $4.5 million in guaranteed money.

If you read my grade on the move yesterday then you know I was not a huge fan of the signing. Most fans seem to love the Cook signing, and while he is a fine tight end and there’s no real risk in the move, I still think the Chargers could have done much better.

I personally would have rather seen the team trade for Zach Ertz. Sure, the team would have to trade a fourth/fifth-round pick, but with extra picks in the draft and the way Tom Telesco drafts, the Chargers probably would not have been losing much.

Another option was David Njoku, who was always more of a sleeper option. We have no idea whether or not the Cleveland Browns would be willing to trade Njoku, but with two other solid tight ends and only one more year on his deal, you would think the Browns would be willing to save $6 million and get draft capital.

If I was running the LA Chargers I personally would have traded for David Njoku 100 times out of 100 before signing Jared Cook.

1. The LA Chargers would not have had to trade that much draft capital for David Njoku

David Njoku’s price would have been even less than Zach Ertz. He does not have the namesake of Ertz and is in a situation where the Browns have not given him much trade value. Quite frankly, if the Browns are open to trading him, a sixth-round pick is a fair evaluation.

The Chargers have two sixth-round picks and the impact that Njoku could have had is far more than who Tom Telesco likely would have picked in the sixth round.

I know that fans get caught up in draft picks but for such a low price the Chargers could have potentially had something special that is not just a stop-gap option, but a multi-year option.