Tight end David Njoku has only known the Cleveland Browns in his NFL career. But he plans to take another step closer to signing with a new organization in NFL free agency this week.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday evening Njoku will visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday.
The Browns drafted the tight end at No. 29 overall in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Over nine seasons in Cleveland, Njoku posted 384 catches, 4,062 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns.
Last year, he had 33 receptions, 293 yards and four scores while playing in 12 contests.
TE David Njoku Visiting Chargers on Monday: Report
Reaching free agency with your 30th birthday in sight and a season after dealing with knee injuries isn’t ideal. That’s likely why the veteran tight end remains a free agent.
But the Chargers will give him an opportunity. Second-year tight end Oronde Gadsden will return for Los Angeles, but Njoku could provide the Chargers high-upside depth.
Njoku has eclipsed the 500-yard mark in three of his last four seasons. He caught more than 50 passes in three of those four campaigns as well.
Unfortunately, the one campaign where he didn’t was last year. But if healthy enough, Njoku could bounce back in 2026.
The tight end will turn 30 years old in July. He made the Pro Bowl during 2023 with 81 catches, 882 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
All three of those totals were career highs.
During 2024, Njoku had 64 receptions, 505 receiving yards and five scores. He’s averaged 10.6 yards per catch in his 118 NFL games.
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Without Njoku in 2026, the Browns are moving forward with Harold Fannin Jr. as their primary tight end. Fannin already was that last season, as he posted 72 receptions, 731 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a rookie.
Fannin is one of several very promising youngsters at the skilled position groups for the Browns. The tight end will start perhaps along with early picked receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion.
Cleveland’s tight end depth, though, is a little more uncertain. Blake Whiteheart will be back, but he’s never had more than 51 receiving yards in a season during his 3-year career.
During NFL free agency, the team added veteran tight end Jack Stoll. But similar to Whiteheart, Stoll has never stood out as a pass-catcher.
In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Browns added a couple tight ends late on Day 3. First, Cleveland selected Cincinnati’s Joe Royer at No. 170 overall in the fifth round.
With their final choice, the Browns took BYU tight end Carsen Ryan.
Those rookies will compete with the three other depth tight ends also on the Cleveland offseason roster — Sal Cannella, Brenden Bates and Caden Prieskorn.
Due to the lack of another pass-catching tight end on the roster, fans have speculated online whether Njoku could return to the Browns in 2026. But the team hasn’t expressed any public interest in a reunion.
The Browns will get an opportunity to see their rookie tight ends for the first time on the field next weekend. Cleveland will hold its rookie minicamp from May 8-10.
All of the team’s tight ends will begin working out together at Cleveland’s next round of offseason workouts from May 19-21.
The Browns will have their mandatory minicamp from June 9-11.
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