The Cleveland Browns lost one of their most respected veterans this offseason. David Njoku's departure leaves a big void in the locker room, not only because of his production on the field but because of his vocal leadership and veteran presence in the building.
Most signs pointed to Njoku staying in Cleveland for the long run, but Harold Fannin Jr.'s breakout and Kevin Stefanski's departure may have changed those plans. Now, with him bidding farewell on social media and being released with a post-June 1 designation, it should be just a matter of time before he signs with another team.
The Browns already added a blocking tight end in Jack Stoll. He should take on some of Njoku's blocking duties, but he's not expected to be much of a factor as a pass catcher. That may not be what new head coach Todd Monken envisions for his offense.
Considering that, the Browns could probably go after a proven pass-catching tight end at a discount just to add some depth there. And if that's the case, no one makes more sense than Robert Tonyan.
The Browns have nothing to lose by signing Robert Tonyan
According to Spotrac, Tonyan is projected to sign a one-year, $1.5 million contract. That should be right down Andrew Berry's alley, as Tonyan could be a cheap pickup to take the field in Monken's two-tight-end sets in obvious passing situations.
Tonyan broke out in 2020, his third season in the league, when he led the league in catch rate (74.6 percent) and had 52 receptions for 586 yards and a whopping 11 touchdowns for the Green Bay Packers. His production has plummeted since, but it has been more because of a lack of usage than talent.
Last season, he was stuck at the bottom of the Kansas City Chiefs' depth chart, taking the field for just 47 snaps and drawing one target on 35 routes run. That said, there's a path for more targets in Cleveland.
Todd Monken's offenses have always relied on playmaking tight ends who can pile up yards after the catch. Fannin Jr. will most likely be the primary source of offense in the passing game, but adding Tonyan, a proven red-zone threat who's not going to demand a lot of touches can be a nice insurance policy for this team at a reasonable price.
The Browns might also be in the mix to draft Georgia tight end Oscar Delp, given that he's also familiar with Monken's offense. But if that's not the case, and Tonyan is still up for grabs after the NFL Draft, he's at least worth some consideration.
There's no doubt that Njoku is a much more productive player, and his physicality in the open field was second to none. That said, he has struggled with injuries in recent years, and he was going to take a huge step back to Fannin next season anyway.
Players like Tonyan may not move the needle that much at first glance, but all teams need veterans to sharpen the edges of the roster. And with a less-than-impressive tight end market full of overpriced options, this at least won't hurt the team's finances.