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Bengals are urged to sign David Njoku
Following a disappointing 6-11 season, the Cincinnati Bengals will do everything possible to return to the postseason in 2026 after failing to make it in three straight years. After making the Super Bowl in 2021 and having a deep playoff run in 2022, the Bengals have regressed and patience is beginning to run out.
Team president and owner Mike Brown released a statement after the season, confirming that general manager Duke Tobin and Zac Taylor would return. He said they have proven to be capable of building a championship-caliber team. Now is the time for them to do that again. Fortunately, it seems they will have a chance to do that as they have over $50 million in cap space before free agency.
Additionally, after Burrow’s comments during the season, when he stated he was not having fun, the team’s front office seems to have developed a sense of urgency. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said, “I do expect the Bengals to take his words and kind of use it to spur them on a little bit to really spend this offseason. I expect the Bengals to enhance and support everything Joe Burrow does.”
Cincinnati Bengals Urged to Sign David Njoku
While Rapoport seemed to believe most of the additions will come on defense, Sports Illustrated’s James Rapien called for the Bengals to take a different approach. Rapien suggested the Bengals go after Browns Pro Bowl tight end David Njoku, who recently confirmed he will be leaving Cleveland in free agency.
Rapien wrote, “Njoku is a proven tight end that would give the Bengals’ offense a boost. Everyone will focus on the defense this offseason and rightfully so, but the offense shouldn’t be ignored. Proven Pro Bowlers like Njoku should absolutely be interested in joining a pass-first offense like the Bengals with hopes of winning a championship.”
Regarding Njoku’s skillset, Rapien said, “Njoku is a big, physical tight end that has the ability to be a great pass catcher in the right offense. Cleveland struggled big time in recent seasons on offense, but Njoku was one of the bright spots. He had at least 58 catches in three-straight seasons (2022-24), including a career-high 81 receptions for 882 yards and six touchdowns in 2023 with Joe Flacco at quarterback.”
Bengals Tight Ends
The Bengals do have a need at tight end, as their top pass-catching option Mike Gesicki is more of a wide receiver than a traditional in-line tight end. Additionally, Noah Fant, who the team signed before the season, failed to make much of an impact in 2025 as he had his lowest receiving yards total of his career.
Cincinnati has plenty of offensive weapons for Burrow, but there is a chance Njoku comes at a discounted price as his 2025 season was not as strong as some of his previous years. In terms of the potential fit, Rapien added, “Njoku would give them a versatile piece that could be a red zone threat and give Burrow another weapon to lean on when teams take away Chase and/or Higgins.”
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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