Browns Agree to 4-Year Extension with TE David Njoku

The Cleveland Browns have locked up another player to an extension, this time with tight end David Njoku.

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku did not participate in the first few days of OTAs for good reason. He was working on finalizing a four-year contract extension to continue worth up to $56.75 million according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The #Browns and franchise tagged TE David Njoku have reached an agreement in principle on a large new 4-year, $56.75M contract extension, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. He gets $28M guaranteed at signing on the deal that averages $14.1875M per year, the fifth highest paid TE.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 27, 2022

The Browns believe that Njoku can be the featured tight end he was drafted to be in 2017. Paired with new quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Browns are giving Njoku the role and the contract to prove it. Njoku has gone from a player that looked like he might have been on the outside looking back in 2019 when John Dorsey was the general manager of the team.

#Browns David Njoku just posted this on IG after agreeing on his extension: pic.twitter.com/DNDJM7kjrR

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) May 27, 2022

When Andrew Berry took over as general manager, he embraced Njoku, a player he helped draft. Since then, Njoku has steadily improved even if he hasn't quite broken out as a receiving threat. He possesses the combination of size and speed to be a matchup problem. With this deal, the expectation is that he will finally be a difference maker in the passing game they've been patiently waiting for him to become. Njoku, who will celebrate his 26th birthday in July, is entering his sixth season in the NFL.

Like with teammates Watson, Denzel Ward, Amari Cooper, John Johnson III and Nick Chubb, Njoku's deal will follow suit having a minimum base salary the first year, allowing the Browns to rollover significant cap space which will pay for the next year and provide additional adjusted cap space to continue spending with the top teams in the league. That will enable the Browns to keep this team together for several years, expanding their window to compete for a Super Bowl.