Tight end David Njoku said his goodbyes to the Cleveland Browns and their fans in a social media post on Monday as he approaches free agency in March.
“Cleveland, first off I love you,” Njoku wrote in an Instagram post. “These 9 years have been a beautiful journey. I’m so grateful for all the memories we shared together.”
“Thank you to The Haslams, Andrew Berry and the whole browns organization for everything!!” he added. “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“
Njoku, who will turn 30 before next season, has played his entire NFL career with the Browns to this point. He was Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2017 (No. 29 overall) out of Miami. But the team only had two winning seasons during his tenure.
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In nine seasons with the Browns, Njoku appeared in 118 games, starting 88. During his career, he’s compiled 384 receptions for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns. His best season was in 2023 with 81 catches for 862 yards and 6 TDs, and he was named to the Pro Bowl. With his catch total and touchdowns, Njoku ranks second in team history for tight ends behind Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome.
Njoku’s contract will void on March 12, making him a free agent. Amid rumors that he could be dealt at the trade deadline in November, he said publicly that he wanted to stay with the Browns.
However, with Cleveland firing head coach Kevin Stefanski and bringing in Todd Monken to replace him, it’s possible that either Njoku doesn’t want to go through another Browns rebuilding project or he was told that his role will change.
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Njoku wasn’t the Browns’ most productive tight end this past season. Rookie Harold Fannin led Cleveland with 72 receptions for 731 yards and 6 TDs. Njoku was far behind with 33 catches for 293 yards and 4 scores. He played in 12 games, suffering a knee injury in Week 14. That could also affect his availability and production in 2026.
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