The Cleveland Browns have designated tight end David Njoku to return from injured reserve. The team had already cleared a roster spot Tuesday when safety Morgan Burnett was placed on injured reserve with an achilles injury so it suggests that he will play this weekend.

Njoku will return to practice Wednesday but his status for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins is unclear.

"We have to get him on the football field and see where he is. I do not know that to be fact right now. I would like to see where he is at conditioning, physically and mentally. There are a lot of things that go into that," head coach Freddie Kitchens said Monday.

The Browns have 21 days to activate Njoku or he must return to the injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

The No. 29 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft suffered a fractured wrist in Week 2 against the New York Jets. He was added to the injured reserve four days later. In those two games prior to injury, he recorded four receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown.

Njoku recorded 88 receptions for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns through his first two seasons. His contribution to the pass attack nearly doubled last season and his commitment to blocking had increased in the offseason prior to the 2019 regular season. He is close to becoming the well-rounded tight end that Freddie Kitchens' offense desperately needs. Undrafted rookie tight end Stephen Carlson made what turned out to be the game-clinching touchdown reception on Thursday Night Football against the Steelers.

Cleveland -- winners of their last two -- has run their offense through the tight ends and running backs despite the presence of star wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. The team has so many offensive weapons that is reasonable to question how all of them will get the touches they deserve. Running back Nick Chubb became the first NFL player to 1,000 rushing yards this season and fellow running back Kareem Hunt has been creatively integrated into the offense as well since returning from suspension two games ago.

Burnett played a big part in the Thursday Night Football victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, who he had played for the previous season.

The league allows teams to activate two players from the injured reserve each year. Cleveland has now exhausted their two exemptions after the return of offensive guard Drew Forbes, who was announced Nov. 14, and now Njoku, which means that players like outside linebacker Christian Kirksey are officially done for the season.