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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku will test free agency.
David Njoku will not be returning to the Cleveland Browns and will test free agency.
Njoku is an impending free agent and announced his departure on social media Monday evening.
“Cleveland, first off I love you. 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!!” Njoku said. “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.”
Njoku had his season cut short by injury, appearing in just 12 games. He finished the season with 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns. In all, Njoku — a former first-round pick of the Browns — caught 384 passes for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns during his tenure in Cleveland. That included a Pro Bowl campaign in 2023, where he snagged 81 passes for 882 yards and six touchdowns.
Njoku had void years added to his contract and is currently set to count around $10 million against the cap next season.
David Njoku Evolved With Browns
Njoku’s path in Cleveland has been anything but linear — and it now appears to be nearing its end. Once buried on the depth chart early in former coach Kevin Stefanski’s tenure, Njoku openly requested a trade after growing frustrated with his role. The Browns refused.
Rather than sulk, Njoku went back to work, reshaping his game and reputation in the process. He emerged as a complete tight end — a legitimate downfield threat who could also hold his own as a blocker — and eventually became a pillar of the offense.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry forecasted some uncertainty with Njoku heading into the final year of his contract.
“We’ve known him since he’s been 20-years-old and we’ve been through a lot with David and we’ve been happy to see him grow and mature in the organization,” Berry said last year. “We love all of our long-tenured Browns to be with the organization until they’re done. Sometimes that happens, sometimes that doesn’t, so I can’t necessarily make a commitment there either way.”
Njoku should have suitors in free agency, although coming off a less-than-stellar season may limit his contract upside.
Browns Have Breakout TE Harold Fannin
Njoku was once a featured piece of the Browns’ passing attack, but his role gradually shrank as the season wore on — due in large part to injuries but also the rapid emergence of rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
The third-round pick led Browns in nearly every major receiving category, finishing his rookie season with 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns.
At just 20 years old, Fannin already looks like a long-term building block. If the Browns can continue to get elite-level production from Fannin while adding more playmakers around him, he projects as a centerpiece of the offense for years to come.
Much of that will depend on the quarterback situation, which the Browns are sorting out. Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel are under contract for next season, although the Browns will explore all their option to add to the room.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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