David Njoku recently visited the Chargers. That summit clearly went well, as a contract agreement is now in place between Los Angeles and the veteran tight end.
Team and player have finalized a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He adds this pact has a maximum value of $8MM. After nine years in Cleveland, Njoku’s next career phase has been lined up.
The tight end position has seen plenty of turnover this spring in the case of the Chargers. Will Dissly and Tucker Fisk are still on the market deep into the offseason. Tyler Conklin, meanwhile, left via free agency. Los Angeles added Charlie Kolar in March, but the team did not select any tight ends during the draft. That left the door open to a deal for Njoku, and one is now in place.
Over the course of his Browns tenure, Njoku regularly found himself atop the tight end depth chart. The former first-rounder battled injuries and inconsistencies along the way, but he secured a big-money deal in 2022. Njoku’s best season came one year later (81-882-6 statline) and resulted in a Pro Bowl nod. His playing time dropped in 2024 and again in 2025, however, and the Browns have Harold Fannin Jr. in place as their starting tight end for the foreseeable future after a standout rookie campaign. It has been clear since February Njoku would not be coming back to Cleveland.
Jim Harbaugh remains in place as the Chargers’ head coach, but 2026 will mark the first year of his NFL coaching career in which Greg Roman is not his offensive coordinator. Mike McDaniel is in place as the Bolts’ new OC, his first gig since being dismissed as head coach of the Dolphins. It will be interesting to see how McDaniel uses Njoku and Kolar as Los Angeles looks to find improved efficiency in the passing game this season.
The Chargers entered Monday with over $45MM in cap space. That figure will be lowered once the Njoku deal is officially in place, but it will leave plenty of available funds for further late-offseason additions.
Very reasonable value. Between Njoku and Kolar, they never have to ask Gadsden to do tight end dirty work.
@Oooof. Gadsden and Njoku are tightends 1a, 1b. It’s probably 5 million base that’s usually what hortiz does. It’s a injury protection if he plays the whole year he’s probably getting 8, if he snaps his Achilles like Harris he’s getting 4-5. Gadsden has improved his blocking since college I’ve heard it’s decent enough. Didn’t want anyone really blocking Gadsden’s development, but i guess he’s essentially replacing Hurst. So it’s not a bad thing to have a emergency plan if crap hits the fan like normal.
Gadsden is pretty slight and already played more snaps out of the slot than inline. I think they brought in two better inline tight ends to make that even more true.
@Oooof. Probably what they will do. I guess if the WR’S get hurt they can line Gadsden outside. I like what hortiz is doing he’s secretly building up that line. Could be going dead last to top 10 especially if alt and slater are healthy got a bunch of guys that can block so Herbert doesn’t get killed again.
This dude is one of the best TEs in the league and a decent blocker. It’s insane it’s taken this long for him to get signed. Chargers got themselves a huge steal here.
Especially when teams are so eager to find blocking tight ends for multiple tight end sets that they drafted some very questionable prospects in the second round.
@Oooof. Makes me wonder if the chargers had contact with him early in free agency, and said we will give you a call after the draft. Hortiz likes his comp picks. Now let’s get bitonio.
For sure. A former Ravens exec waiting until after the draft to sign a free agent is classic.
I like to believe if we didn’t have Pitts Stefanski would have brought him to Atlanta
Maybe, but if you’re in Njoku’s shoes and leaving Cleveland for the first time, the quarterback situation and competitiveness in LA has to feel like a breath of fresh air that Atlanta can’t provide as well.
@Oooof. Njoku is definitely trying to build up his stock. Chargers definitely want him to go off and get a decent deal next year. Atleast it could cancel out a signing in the comp pick formula at worse.
@Oooof That tight end run was insane and completely illogical imo.
I wonder how many of those guys even sniff the second or third round in most drafts?
And there were better players available when they drafted, for sure. Lots.
Yep. Plenty of those guys could go on to be useful role players, but teams taking number three tight ends—and in some cases raw ones like Klein—over a guy like A.J. Haulcy is insane.
Just felt like a deal was already hanging in place.