David Njoku is one of the few Cleveland Browns players from this season who was already with the team when Andrew Berry arrived as the general manager six years ago. Now, it looks like the tight end’s ninth year with the organization is going to be his last.
As a potential free agent, Njoku has already said goodbye on social media. Berry isn’t talking about Njoku in the past tense just yet, but the lack of a contract extension that would have kept him around speaks volumes on its own.
At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Berry addressed Njoku’s future and said he’d be considered “a Brown for life” with a seat in the Dawg Pound always waiting for him.
“If David’s not back, he’ll be a Brown for life. I’m sure that whenever he does hang ’em up, he’ll be a Dawg Pound captain at the beginning of the games and I’m sure he’ll smash the guitar with his shirt off,” Berry said.
#Browns GM Andrew Berry on David Njoku posting his goodbye to Cleveland and Harold Fannin Jr.’s rise:
"We're very pleased with Harold, and we view him as the future of that position. What he did as a rookie was incredible."
“If David's not back, he’ll be a Brown for life. I'm… pic.twitter.com/IeP9ZvZNdg
— Ashly Holder (@AshNoelleTV) February 24, 2026
Njoku was a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, when Sashi Brown essentially held the role of Browns GM. John Dorsey then took over for two years before Berry replaced him.
In 118 games for Cleveland, Njoku had 384 receptions, which ranks third in Browns history behind Pro Football Hall of Famers Ozzie Newsome and Dante Lavelli. He totaled 4,062 yards and made 34 touchdown catches.
Unfortunately, injuries have played a role in his diminished production the past two seasons, which may have led the Browns to select tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Fannin emerged as the Browns’ top receiver, which may have made Njoku expendable in Berry’s eyes.
“We’re very pleased with Harold, and we do view him as the future of that position. What he did as a rookie was incredible,” Berry said.
Now, Njoku can look for other opportunities, perhaps with a contending team so he can get the playoff exposure he rarely experienced with Cleveland. The Los Angeles Rams have been mentioned as a potential destination, but Njoku is likely to have several notable suitors once the market opens next month.
As for the Browns, they could look to strike gold again with a tight end in the late rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft to complement Njoku. New head coach Todd Monken ran a very successful two-TE system with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely when he was the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.
Likely is also set to become a free agent, so perhaps a reunion with Monken can be worked out.
NEXT: Andrew Berry Addresses Recent Report About Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
