Most signs pointed to the Cleveland Browns parting ways with David Njoku last season. Teams like the Green Bay Packers needed a pass-catching tight end, and the stalled contract extension talks, plus the Browns' spot in the standings, made a trade look like the most logical course of action.
Njoku survived the trade deadline, and it appeared both parties remained interested in extending their partnership. Those plans may have changed once Todd Monken took over for Kevin Stefanski , as Njoku announced he would leave in free agency.
That's, of course, a big blow to the Browns' locker room. He's a well-liked and respected figure in the building, not to mention an elite blocker and solid weapon.
That said, Bleacher Report's Moe Moton doesn't see him keeping that type of production up for much longer. In his latest column, he argued that Njoku will probably be a disappointing offseason signing.
"Pass-catching tight ends are on the rise in the NFL, but Njoku is entering his age-30 term, and he's missed 11 games over the last two years," Moton explained. "Teams may look away from a tight end who's starting to miss significant time, slightly past his prime."
David Njoku’s looming payday could backfire on his next team
He makes a fair point. Spotrac projects Njoku's market value at two years and about $20 million. He's second in the site's projected market value among free agent tight ends behind only Travis Kelce ($10.7 million), even ahead of younger players like Isaiah Likely ($8.8 million), Chig Okonkwo ($7.9 million) and Cade Otton ($7.9 million).
Njoku is a perennial mismatch in the end zone, and his ability to pile up yards after contact down the middle of the field is impressive. That said, Father Time spares no victims, and signing an aging tight end with a history of injuries is a risky gamble.
The Browns will have a tough time finding another big-bodied, hard-hitting tight end to block for them, but they're clearly all set in the pass-catching department with Harold Fannin Jr. The rookie out of Bowling Green looked like a superstar in the making last season, and he's only going to have a more prominent role in the offense with Njoku no longer in the building.
Of course, keeping Njoku in town for a little longer would've probably been an ideal scenario. But with only so much money to spend in free agency, his age, and history of injuries, this team may have done the right thing by not giving him an extension.