4 terrible decisions by the Cleveland Browns in 2022

Browns Terrible Decision No. 2 – Extending David Njoku

Hindsight is always 20/20, but when Andrew Berry gave David Njoku a massive contract extension, my first reaction was that seemed silly. After initially franchise-tagging the talented tight end, Berry eventually gave Njoku a four-year deal worth nearly $55 million.

Njoku has all the talent in the world, but with injuries, we’ve never seen him have a year with more than 639 yards receiving or four touchdowns. With six years of experience, the numbers and the contract amount never added up.

Njoku had a good year in 2022 with 628 yards and four touchdowns, but he missed three games with injuries, and never really made a play that changed a game. I know being one of the highest-paid tight ends is less valuable than a wide receiver, but it still seems like the franchise tag was a way smarter move.

Had Njoku played on the tag, there is a great chance the Browns could have got him for less money this offseason. And if Njoku ended up leaving, they certainly could find someone talented for more than $14 million a year.

This isn’t me questioning the ceiling of a guy like Njoku. I’m the first to admit I think he could be a top-five tight end in the league. He’s a freak athlete, has great hands, and has really improved his in-line blocking to be a versatile player on the field. But I’ll still make the argument that the money should have been spent somewhere else last year.