Ahead of the 2023 season, David Njoku sat down with ESPN and said, “I’ve recently been taking more and more of a leadership role… bringing your teammates along.” And let’s be real—it didn’t sound like a soundbite. It sounded earned. Seven seasons deep in Cleveland, Njoku had grown past the drops and the drama. He wasn’t just flashing on Sundays anymore; he was the guy holding the room together, especially as the Browns shuffled through quarterbacks like it was tradition.

That leadership became real down the stretch in 2023, when Joe Flacco landed midseason and suddenly, Cleveland caught fire. Njoku was the security blanket, recording a career-high 882 yards and six TDs in his seventh season. Safe to say that the guy didn’t just adjust into the leadership role; he elevated everyone else. But then came the 2024 season, his eighth with the Browns.

The guy was forced to miss the final six games of the 2024 season due to an injury and tallied just a bit over 500 yards and five TDs. And all of a sudden, the whispers around the Browns parting ways with their veteran tight end came to light. For starters, the ninth-year TE is entering the final season of his four-year $56.75 million contract extension that he signed back in 2022.

And given that the guy’s coming from an injury, his $11.4 million cap hit is tough to swallow for the Browns. The plot thickens from here. The guy recorded a career-low 7.9 yards per reception in the 2024 season. And if we include his PFF grades (65.3/31st when it comes to receiving and 64.0/35th in overall offense) among the league’s other TEs, no wonder it worked like gas on fire.

Plus, the Browns have already picked the former Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr. with the 67th overall pick. And get this, the guy’s entering the rookie season after leading the nation in receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,555) in his final season at Bowling Green. That means the Browns might be looking to develop the guy as David Njoku’s successor. And to spice things up, releasing or trading Njoku would save $4.5 million in cap space, as per Spotrac.

So, the big question: are they going to part ways with him? Well, it sounds a bit odd and unlikely, given that the guy has been with the Browns ever since Cleveland drafted him back in the 2017 NFL draft with the 29th overall pick. At the same time, there might be a possibility for the same. But amidst the exit buzz, the veteran TE is gearing up to catch passes from the Browns’ crowded quarterback unit.

David Njoku is expected to return with a bang after last season’s injury

Amidst the outside noise buzzing that the Browns might part ways with David Njoku, CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan claimed that the veteran TE is next in line for a contract extension. Turns out Njoku’s future in Cleveland is still uncertain after the 2025 season. But looks like the guy’s gearing up for his comeback following an injury in the 2024 season, or should we say that the fans are rooting for his return like never before.

Recently, one of Njoku’s fans took to their social media handle and shared a post, all while praising his performance, physique, and hyping up his return for the 2025 season. “LETS F-ING GO!!! If there’s one name that should be keeping AFC North defensive coordinators up at night, it’s David Njoku,” the shared “X” post read. “Entering the 2025 season, the 6’4”, 250-pound Browns tight end isn’t just some freak athlete anymore. He’s a F-ing wrecking ball.”

“With muscles carved out like a comic book superhero and a fire in his eyes that says, “Get the f**k out of my way,” Njoku is ready to take over and raise hell this season… With a quarterback room that’s hotter than ever. Add in names like Shedeur Sanders and Joe Flacco slinging him passes. Njoku’s role is about to explode.” Right after that went down, Njoku took a moment, hopped up on his official ‘X’ handle, re-shared that post, and penned a message.

“Haha jus throw it to me baby,” he wrote. At this point, the Browns’ quarterback room is arguably the most talked-about thing. We’re talking about the veterans like Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, and the rookies like Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. With the QB1 spot still uncertain, these guys are competing to make their way through as the Browns’ starting quarterback.

For the time being, Flacco is expected to start in 2025 with Pickett serving as his backup. But that doesn’t mean Shedeur and Gabriel won’t be there to make their presence felt. In fact, the guys are surely improving their QB depth chart ahead of their rookie seasons. No wonder David Njoku is excited to catch passes from Cleveland’s crowded QB unit. “We’re unlocking something different this year,” Coach Kevin Stefanski said about Njoku.

“You’ll see Njoku everywhere. Wide, in the slot, lined up like a fullback if we want. He’s a nightmare, and we’re about to let him off the leash.” Long story short: while a few folks might be buzzing about David Njoku’s uncertain future with the Browns, no doubt. But the head coach is all in on utilizing the veteran TE’s experience in his ninth season in Cleveland. After all, they’ve got a top-tier QB unit.