The Cleveland Browns had a rough year on the offensive side of the ball. The defense, however, remained a force in the league. They ranked #3 in pass defense and #4 overall.
RELATED: BROWNS SALARY CAP SPACE
The offense was a train wreck. In almost every game, the first drive was a thing of beauty and mostly ended with some sort of points. From that point on, the run game failed, the offensive line could not keep out defenders, sacks increased, interceptions went up, and points scored were minimal.
The Browns’ offense ranked #30 in the league. The passing offense was led by two rookie quarterbacks and ranked #31. The rushing game finished at #27. Scoring offense ranked #31.
There were silver linings. A few.
LG Joel Bitonio had another banner year and was the only offensive lineman to play all 17 games. Cleveland used seven different combinations along the offensive line. Going down the stretch, the Browns used two backups and two practice squad players as starters.
The run game had its moments led by rookie RB Quinshon Judkins, who became injured in Week 14 and then was placed on IR, but made the NFL All-Rookie Team. After that, the offense bogged down with the rushing attack. The receiver room was a complete bust and a huge disappointment. The quarterback situation never became solved.
That left the tight end group. Blake Whiteheart was used mainly as another offensive lineman with his blocking skills. Rookie Harold Fannin had an exceptional year and was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team. Veteran David Njoku had a roller coaster for a season.
Njoku is known for being injured frequently. In fact, in his nine-year NFL career, he has had one season in which he played the entire year without incident. That season, 2023, he earned his first and only Pro Bowl nod. That proved that if he was able to participate in a complete season, perhaps he would become a Pro Bowl staple, but instead, he misses games every year.
In 2022, he inked a four-year extension worth $56.75 million. This season, his cap hit was $11.4 million. His production? 33 receptions on 48 targets, 293 yards, 11 first down conversions, an 8.9 yards per catch average, four touchdowns, zero rushes, 160 YAC.
That’s $38,908 per catch. $2.85 million per touchdown reception. $1.037 million for every first down he converted.
Njoku’s contract has run out. There haven’t been any reports of Browns GM Andrew Berry attempting to re-sign him. Nothing is being leaked or discussed about Njoku being on the roster in 2026 and beyond.
Fannin’s production this season was exceptional. The former leading receptions and yardage leader in the nation of college football, Fannin played 16 games. That in itself screams durability. In Week 17, he suffered a groin injury and could have played the final game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was limited in practices during the week, but the coaching staff held him out since the game didn’t mean anything. In college, he missed one game because of an ankle tweak during his freshman year. Even in high school as a baseball and football star, he was durable.
Fannin’s rookie production: 107 targets, 72 receptions, 731 yards, 10.2 yards per catch average, six touchdowns, 32 first down conversions, seven rushing attempts for 13 yards and a single TD, 352 YAC.
Plus, Fannin is on his rookie deal on the cheap as a third-round pick. He signed a four-year contract for $6.7 million.
Could it be that Njoku has played his final down in Cleveland?
There are many who state that Chief never played up to his status. He has been paid like a Top-3 tight end in the league, towards the likes of Travis Kelce and George Kittle, but has not produced even close to their numbers.
Kelce has been named to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four seasons plus Second Team All-Pro three times. Kittle has seven Pro Bowls with two First Team All-Pro nods, plus voted Second Team All-Pro three times.
And Njoku’s salary is close to these guys, like he is a superstar.
When asked by reporters if he is going to be able to work something out with Berry, Njoku’s answer was, “I don’t know.” Weeks earlier, he stated to the media just how much he loves the Northeast Ohio area.
As long as he is healthy, he can change a game. His acrobatic catches are legendary. But he is always hurt, it seems. He is still a young man at age 29, but it will become a slow decline in both his jumping abilities and speed. And Fannin appears to be the future for this Browns’ offense. Why Berry didn’t trade him before the NFL trade deadline this past year is a mystery. Now, it appears Chief may leave for another employer, while Cleveland gets zero in return.
Did Fannin beat Njoku out of his position? Maybe. Before the Week 1 opener, it was assumed that this offense was going back to two tight end sets, and lo and behold, here is Njoku paired with the nation’s leading receiver in Fannin. But that scenario never became a reality. The offense had running issues, and eventually, it was just throwing the ball all around the field in every game instead.
He only played in 11 games in 2024 and 12 games in 2025, plus missed the final few games this year. He has missed 27 games in his career. Njoku is just an overpaid guy who will play well and then miss games due to his being so injury-prone.
Has Njoku played his final game with the Browns?
His 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns are not ideal if he does indeed head towards free agency. Because Cleveland overpaid him all those years, he is going to expect to be paid handsomely with the idea that he hasn’t peaked yet. He will expect another suitor to get on the “potential bus” and ride it hard. That is, until he becomes hurt one more time.
No, sir, he isn’t playing for $3 million a season. Are you kidding? And yet, he hasn’t gotten 1,000 yards in a single season, with 882 yards his finest season. Kelce has seven, plus another five with over 850+ yards. Kittle has four.
Njoku is a leader and a fan favorite. He brings energy to the field and has finally become a complete player once former O-Line coach Bill Callahan showed him how to block. Now, he is a willing blocker, including downfield.
For his part, Njoku indicated he doesn’t want to depart:
“Of course, it’s always a possibility. This is the NFL, man. But I’m in Cleveland, baby. I’m not going nowhere. I ain’t (expletive) leaving. Yeah. Get that on camera.”
However, Njoku is one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league and has nowhere near the production stats that the big boys generate. Because this was his contract year, he needed to go out there and perform at a high level in order to keep that status. Instead, his total yardage is the third-lowest in his career, not to mention yet another injury.
Will the Browns keep Njoku? Maybe the better question is, why should they?
