Tight end David Njoku’s ninth season with the Cleveland Browns may be his last.
Njoku, 29, is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career this offseason. He announced in an Instagram post on Feb. 9 that he does not intend to re-sign with the Browns once his free agency begins in March.
‘Cleveland, first off I love you,’ he wrote in the post. ‘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!! 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 #ChiefOut.’
If Njoku’s time in Cleveland is over as he intends it, he finishes his tenure as one of the most prolific pass-catchers in Browns franchise history.
Over the course of his nine years in Cleveland, the tight end tallied 384 catches for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns in 118 games (88 starts). Njoku’s reception total ranks third all-time among Browns pass-catchers, his receiving yards are 12th-most by a Brown and his 34 touchdowns are sixth-most in franchise history.
Njoku began his NFL career with the Browns as a first-round draft pick in 2017. After playing out the four years on his rookie contract plus a fifth-year option, the tight end signed a four-year, $56.75 million contract extension. The deal made Njoku one of the highest-paid players at his position at the time.
In 2025, the Browns’ veteran dealt with a couple of knee injuries that limited him to 12 games. As a result, Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. stepped up in Njoku’s place and finished the season as Cleveland’s leading pass-catcher by receptions (72), receiving yards (731) and touchdowns (six).
Njoku will enter free agency as one of a wide range of tight end options on the market. Atlanta Falcons 2021 first-round pick Kyle Pitts is set to become a free agent, as are Cade Otton, Travis Kelce and Dallas Goedert.