David Njoku will turn his franchise tag into a top-five tight end agreement. Weeks ahead of the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions, the Browns have come to terms with the former first-round pick.
The Browns are signing Njoku to a four-year deal worth $56.75MM, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (on Twitter). Njoku will see $28MM fully guaranteed. This $14.2MM-per-year deal makes the five-year Browns contributor the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid tight end.
Cleveland, which entered Friday holding the second-most cap space in the league, could have used this season as a de facto audition year for Njoku on the tag. But reports kept indicating the Browns’ seriousness about extending him. After making an offer north of $13MM per year, the Browns confirmed their faith in Njoku with this deal.
Njoku’s $14.2MM-AAV figure comes in below George Kittle‘s $15MM positional highwater mark, but it is right in the neighborhood of Travis Kelce ($14.3MM AAV) and Dallas Goedert ($14.25MM). Considering Njoku’s lack of statistical success on his rookie contract, this is a major win for the ex-Miami Hurricane and a Browns bet on his potential.
The 2017 first-rounder has just one 500-yard season on his resume. That came back in 2018, when Hue Jackson, Todd Haley and Freddie Kitchens were running Cleveland’s offense. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher, however, is only going into his age-26 season. Several prime years could remain ahead for Njoku, who should have a big opportunity to up his game with Deshaun Watson now at quarterback in Cleveland.
This extension comes two months after the Browns cut Austin Hooper, whom they previously signed to a top-five (at the time) tight end deal. Hooper’s presence cut into Njoku’s opportunities, but in tagging the latter ahead of the March deadline, the Browns signaled they still believed in the younger player’s potential. Njoku headlines a Cleveland tight end depth chart that includes 2020 fourth-round pick Harrison Bryant. This contract makes it clear who the Browns will rely on at the position.
The Browns traded back into the 2017 first round, after having already selected two players that year (which included trading out of the Watson draft slot with the Texans), to nab Njoku with the No. 29 overall pick. Other than his 639-yard 2018 showing, Njoku has never taken off in Cleveland. His tenure also included a rocky stretch in 2020, when he requested a trade at multiple points after Hooper signed. The sides patched up their relationship, and Njoku did produce his second-best statistical season (475 yards, four touchdown catches) — as the Browns’ passing attack cratered — in 2021.
Amari Cooper is set to be the centerpiece of Cleveland’s passing attack, and Donovan Peoples-Jones is positioned to be the trade acquisition’s top complementary player. The team cut Jarvis Landry and, despite rumors about a reunion, let him sign with the Saints following the draft. Njoku will be poised to be a key target for Watson and, in all likelihood, Jacoby Brissett this season.
This still represents a big bet on the potential of a player who has not displayed consistency yet. This deal also stands to impact the negotiations for fellow franchise-tagged tight ends Mike Gesicki and Dalton Schultz. It will be interesting to see if it affects Darren Waller‘s approach with the Raiders. Going into his age-30 season, the former Pro Bowler is tied to a below-market $7.6MM-per-year pact.
Wow that’s a heck of an overpay. He’s not even a top 10 TE.
Not yet, but I think he easily could be with Watson.
I agree it’s an overpay based on previous numbers but he could easily become special this year if given a full season played with Watson.
It might even be worse than the fortune the Seahawks threw at Will Dissily…maybe
yeah this can’t possibly go wrong
Njoku’s improved, he’s still young, and he’s very athletic, so with a rising cap and a scarce tight end market, he could well be worth it. But man, that’s an awful lot to bet it’ll happen.
Not sure I understand what Cleveland sees in him, it’s not like his play propelled him past Hooper at any point last season. This feels like in Baseball when a teams falls in love with a toolsy player only to ignore that he’s missing actual baseball acumen. As a Pirates fan it reminds me of Gregory Polanco, all the tools in the world doesn’t mean poop if it never shows up on the field.
This is a very good signing. Rare talent that never gets used. He’s a top 5 if anywhere else besides Seattle.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Browns are betting improved play at QB will lead to better usage and results out of Njoku, if he can stay healthy.
Huge gamble though.
Njoku is definitely capable of being a really good starting tight end, both as a receiver and a blocker. He’s young and athletic. He hasn’t been used nearly as much as he should be and is likely going to be a bigger part of the offense with a better passing attack. So a breakout year is definitely possible.
That being said, this is a lot of money to be paying him when they didn’t necessarily need to extend him just yet. I get the idea of paying for future performance and not past performance, but they’re paying top of the market money to him and just hoping he lives up to it.
That’s a lot of money for a guy who has only only 40 catches once in his career.
That’s an insane amount. Njoku “could” end up being worth it, but his middle name is Inconsistent. Or maybe it’s Enigmatic.
Overpaying for mediocre talent is a good way to create big holes in your roster.
If this guy is worth $14.2m a year Kelce is worth at least $28.4m I mean damn…
They love overpaying for mediocre TEs
Massive overpay
Where’s all the Browns fans that like this contract? *crickets*. Rightfully so. This is so horrible. Another bad fifteen years coming up like always with this qb gm hc wr te rb combination they have
So because they overpaid for Njoku, they’re doomed for 15 years? As long as Njoku stays healthy, I guarantee you that this year will be his best statistically. I don’t see him as a 80 plus catch guy, but I can see him with 60 and 700 yards
Browns are investing a lot in the offense. Kinda weird how much their focusing on the passing game though when they have a solid O-line and arguably the best running back duo in the league. Play to your strengths.