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Browns linked to intriguing tight end to replace David Njoku.
The Cleveland Browns could look to bring in another tight end to replace David Njoku, as he announced he’d be signing elsewhere.
Harold Fannin Jr. took over as the Browns’ starting tight end, but the team still could use a true backup veteran option. Free agency will have plenty of options, and the Browns will be linked to some of the Baltimore Ravens tight ends.
However, NFL analyst Andy McNamara of SportingNews links the Browns to former Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant, who can help stretch the field.
“Adding Fant to the roster would give the Browns a dynamic vertical element to complement Fannin,” McNamara wrote. “He is a prototypical Monken tight end who excels in space and can turn a simple drag route into a 40-yard gain. At 28, he’s still in his athletic prime and would provide a massive veteran upgrade for the passing game. The cherry on top is his reasonable projected annual salary of $3.22-million.”
Fant would be a solid backup tight end for the Browns, and the cap hit wouldn’t be too much. However, there is a knock on Fant, as McNamara pointed out his fumbling issues.
“His hands can be frustratingly inconsistent, and he fumbled three times in 2025. Fant is coming off career lows in receiving yards and yards-per-reception,” McNamara added.
But, with Fannin Jr. as the starting tight end, Fant can be a secondary option and come in on obvious passing downs. He recorded 34 receptions for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns last season.
Njoku Pens Farewell to Browns
The Browns will need a new tight end after Njoku announced he won’t return in free agency.
Njoku’s role with the team was diminished due to Fannin Jr. having a successful rookie season. So, he announced he’d be signing elsewhere.
“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 wrote on Instagram.
“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.”
The Browns selected Njoku in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He recorded just 33 receptions for 293 yards and 4 touchdowns last season.
Cleveland Confident Todd Monken Can Rebuild Offense
The Browns hired Todd Monken as their new head coach in large part due to him being an offensive mind.
Cleveland’s offense has been an issue for a long time, and general manager Andrew Berry said they wanted to learn more from everyone on how to make their offense better.
“I’d say this, it affected from the standpoint that for every candidate, you want to hear their vision or their plan for the offense,” Berry said. “But like, that doesn’t mean that you’re searching for a coach with an offensive background. There are plenty of defensive coaches or kicking game coaches that are very thoughtful in all three phases of the ball and very knowledgeable. You can look at the Super Bowl, two of the most high-powered offenses in the sport.
“You know those teams, they’re led by defensive coaches – in Mike Vrabel and Mike Macdonald. And so I know when people hear offense, they say okay, well, they’re just going for like an offensive coordinator. That wasn’t necessarily the case. We met with a number of outstanding defensive coaches throughout this process. But we felt Todd was the best fit for us.”
The hope is that Monken can help the Browns’ offense get over the hump in 2026 and beyond.
Cole Shelton Cole Shelton covers the NHL, MLB and Cleveland Browns for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, including bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network and more. More about Cole Shelton
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