David Njoku: Everything you need to know

Njoku agreed Monday with the Chargers on a one-year deal worth up to $8 million, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. One of the top free agents left on the board, Njoku will continue his career on the West Coast following a nine-year stay in Cleveland. Since submitting a career-best 81-882-6 receiving line in 2023, Njoku has seen his production dip over the past two seasons while missing 11 total games to injury, but he won't turn 30 years old until July and still profiles as an above-average pass-catching talent at tight end. However, after seeing his target counts drop in the second half of the 2025 season while rookie Harold Fannin emerged as a focal point in the Cleveland passing attack, Njoku will face competition for reps from another impressive young tight end in Oronde Gadsden as he moves on to Los Angeles. Njoku will at least benefit from a major upgrade in quarterback play with the Justin Herbert-led Chargers offense, and there could still be room for both Gadsden and Njoku to earn meaningful volume in the passing game in light of the lack of established depth at wide receiver behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.

Njoku will visit the Chargers on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Njoku entered free agency after the Browns cut the veteran tight end in mid-March. He has yet to catch on with another team, but that could change following his visit with the Chargers. Oronde Gadsden emerged as the Chargers' top tight end last season and the team inked Charlie Kolar to a three-year deal in early March, but adding Njoku would give the Bolts another playmaking pass catcher that Justin Herbert could rely on in the passing game. Njoku has struggled with injuries over the past couple of seasons but has been productive when on the field. He finished the 2025 regular season with 33 catches (on 48 targets) for 293 yards and four touchdowns across 12 games.

The Browns released Njoku (knee) on Thursday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports. Cleveland coupled Njoku's release with a post-June 1 designation, spreading the hits of his dead cap out into $9.5 million for 2026 and $14.7 million in 2027, per Oyefusi. The breakout rookie campaign logged by Harold Fannin last year limited Njoku to just a 33-293-4 line across 12 regular-season appearances, with injuries also limiting his production. Across his nine seasons with the Browns, however, Njoku surpassed 500 receiving yards on four separate occasions despite inconsistent quarterback play, including an impressive 81-882-6 line in 2023. He missed the final four games of 2025 due to knee and personal issues, but Njoku is now presumably healthy and ready to search for a new squad for his age-30 season.