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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku.
For all intents and purposes, the Washington Commanders don’t have a starting tight end right now.
With a desperate need to draft a defensive star with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft and having already wasted a high round pick on a tight end in the last 2 years, the best bet for the Commanders is to go the free agency route.
That’s where they should take a long, hard look at signing Cleveland Browns tight end and Pro Bowler David Njoku, who made it clear on Monday he has no intention of returning to Cleveland in free agency.
Njoku announced his decision on his official Instagram account.
The Browns selected Njoku, 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds, in the first round (No. 29 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. He has approximately $70 million in career earnings through the end of the 2025 season.
“Cleveland, first off I love you,” Njoku wrote. “These 9 years have been a beautiful journey. I’m am so grateful for all the memories we shared together. Thank you to The Haslams, Andrew Berry and the whole browns organization for everything!! All my teammates I shared the battle with I’m so grateful for you guys. The time for me to find a new home has come and all I can think of is just the gratefulness in my heart. The city of Cleveland will forever be home.”
Trio of Elite Tight Ends Available as Free Agents
If you’re an NFL team looking for a tight end in this free agency cycle, there are some elite ones available.
Njoku is part of a trio of tight ends likely on the move and likely able to step in and help a contender alongside Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts is likely the star of that group, and should land a deal that puts him among the highest paid players at his position.
According to Spotrac, Njoku has a projected market value in the range of a 2-year, $20 million contract.
Brutal Injury Forced Commanders Hand at TE
While the Commanders had plenty of problematic positions in 2025 as they stumbled to a 5-12 record, tight end wasn’t one of them.
Washington got 2 incredible years out of a player essentially everyone had given up on in veteran Zach Ertz, who was one of the Commanders’ leading receivers each of the last 2 seasons with 116 receptions for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Unfortunately for the Commanders and Ertz, his time with the franchise likely came to an end when the 35-year-old former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion suffered a catastrophic knee injury in a Week 14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Playing on consecutive 1-year contracts, it also means Ertz’s time in Washington has likely come to an end.
Njoku could be the answer and basically be a safe place for quarterback Jayden Daniels in the offense moving forward. The price point on him might a bit too high as well, which could benefit the Commanders.
Over the last 2 seasons, Njoku has missed 11 games due to injuries and had just 33 receptions for 293 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2025. Those were his lowest totals since 2019, when he only played 4 games due to concussions and a broken wrist.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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