Cleveland Browns pass catcher David Njoku is the No. 28 player on the Pro Football Network Top 50 Free Agents list and is third behind Mike Gesicki and Dalton Schultz among tight ends. Still just 25 years old, it’s reasonable to think Njoku’s best football is ahead of him, and these rankings are as much projection as proven productivity/stats. What type of contract can Njoku expect this offseason?
Update (3/7/22): The Cleveland Browns have decided to use the franchise tag on Njoku with the hope of two sides reaching a long-term deal, according to multiple sources. If not, Njoku will make $10.8 million guaranteed in 2022.
David Njoku: Free Agency Overview
In five years with the Browns, Njoku has caught 148 of his 240 targets for just 1,754 yards but 15 touchdowns. Njoku missed all but 17 games in 2019 and 2020 due to wrist and knee injuries. After requesting a trade in 2020, Njoku was in a much better place with the franchise in 2021 and has expressed an eagerness to return in 2022.
Recapping Njoku’s 2021 season
Njoku was largely healthy in 2021, but horrendous quarterback play (largely by Baker Mayfield) and scheme issues contributed to a relatively quiet year. He caught 36 passes on 53 targets (for a catch rate of 67.9%, the best of his career) with 4 touchdowns.
While Browns’ passers collectively had a rating of 84.6, that figure was 113.3 when Njoku was targeted.
Njoku’s contract estimate and salary cap implications
There’s talk that Njoku might get franchised (at nearly $11 million), but if the Browns are serious about bringing him back, it shouldn’t have to come to that. Spotrac lists his calculated market value at $26.9 million over four years, which would make him the 16th-highest-paid tight end. The Browns could afford that. Only 11 teams have more cap space as of Feb. 22 ($29.6 million).
Possible landing spots for Njoku
Imagine Njoku catching passes from Justin Herbert. It’s certainly conceivable. The Chargers have the NFL’s second-most cap space ($57.3 million as of Feb. 22), and Jared Cook is a free agent. Other teams with apparent needs at tight end include the Miami Dolphins (if Gesicki leaves), Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Jets.
What they’re saying
“I love it here, love it here to the core. I honestly want to be here for the rest of my career. My agent and the Browns are still in talks, and we are still negotiating and figuring out what we can do. We will go from there. … We are all excited. These are exciting times. It is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that was put into these last few years. I owe it all to God. We just have to keep working. I am just going to go back to the drawing board, figure out what I have to perfect and what I have to do right or what I can do better, and get back to work.” — David Njoku, January 2022