After nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns, veteran tight end David Njoku will not be returning to the franchise that selected him No. 29 overall back in 2017. The pending free agent made a post on Instagram Monday night, saying “The time for me to find a new home has come.”

“Cleveland, first off I love you. These 9 years have been a beautiful journey. I’m am so grateful for all the memories we shared together. Thank you to The Haslams, Andrew Berry and the whole browns organization for everything!! All my teammates I shared the battle with I’m so grateful for you guys. The time for me to find a new home has come and all I can think of is just the gratefulness in my heart. The city of Cleveland will forever be home.”

Njoku played out the four-year, $56.75 million extension he signed back in 2022. He is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, as Njoku caught 33 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games played. 

The 29-year-old pass-catcher has crossed 600 yards receiving in three of his nine seasons, and made the Pro Bowl in 2023 after a career year in which he caught 81 passes for 882 yards and six touchdowns. Njoku’s 384 career receptions rank third in Browns franchise history, his 4,062 yards receiving rank 12th and his 34 receiving touchdowns rank sixth. 

Njoku took a backseat to rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in 2025, who caught 72 passes for 731 yards and six touchdowns. Those 72 receptions were the seventh-most recorded by a rookie tight end in NFL history, and Fannin’s 731 yards receiving ranked fourth among all rookies.

Njoku is CBS Sports’ No. 41-ranked free agent this offseason. Injuries have cost Njoku at least five games in each of the last two seasons, but he is still a reliable pass-catcher that can serve as a quarterback’s security blanket.