David Njoku's camp and the Cleveland Browns met multiple times to discuss a contract extension last season. It seemed that he was going to stay in Cleveland when he wasn't moved prior to the NFL trade deadline, so seeing him bid farewell to the team was a bit of a shocker last month.
That said, he did have his worst season as a pro, struggled with injuries, and took a backseat to rookie Harold Fannin Jr. So, as much as it hurts to watch him leave, the Browns are probably doing the right thing.
Njoku's market seems a bit dry. He didn't sign in the first wave of free agency, and there wasn't a ton of buzz around his next landing spot until Tuesday evening, when ESPN's Adam Schefter reported his visit with the Baltimore Ravens.
Browns free-agent TE David Njoku visited today with the Baltimore Ravens. pic.twitter.com/COGJp6B4Zg
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2026
The Ravens could be a fit as a familiar AFC North team that lost both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar in free agency. CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani, however, sees Njoku signing with another AFC team currently in a state of transition.
In his latest column, Dajani predicted that the veteran tight end will head back to Florida to sign with the Miami Dolphins. Judging by the state of new head coach Jeff Hafley's team, that clearly would not be a step forward in Njoku's career.
"The Miami Dolphins offense is going to look very different with Malik Willis replacing Tua Tagovailoa, and Njoku would provide a versatile security blanket for a young quarterback who is getting his first shot to be a full-time starter," Dajani wrote.
The Dolphins would be a painful landing spot for David Njoku
As one of the top tight ends available in free agency, it would've made sense for Njoku to sign with a Super Bowl contender. While not a superstar, he's a reliable and athletic pass catcher with extensive experience, and it's about time he finally plays some meaningful playoff games. No one would've blamed him for that.
However, leaving the team that drafted him and the city that embraced him for so long just to join another struggling team makes little to no sense. Granted, he did go to college in Miami, but the Dolphins aren't likely to win many games next season.
The Dolphins rolled the dice on Malik Willis, the most prominent quarterback on the market. He has the physical tools to be a star, but they gave him a huge deal based on three starts in two years, and there are just too many questions there.
They just traded Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos, and Tyreek Hill is expected to leave in free agency. As such, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see them trade star RB De'Von Achane as well, leaving Njoku as one of the few options for the offense if he signs there. That may lead to a bigger workload, but definitely not to the playoffs.
Spotrac projects Njoku to sign a two-year, $19.9 million deal. But with the Dolphins only having $8.6 million in available cap space (via Over the Cap), they'll have to do some financial juggling to make things work.
The Browns were quick to move on and sign a blocking tight end in Jack Stoll, knowing that Fannin would do most of the heavy lifting in the pass-catching department. They'd probably still welcome Njoku back on a team-friendly deal if he were to return, and that may end up being his best bet given the shrinking pool of options.