Patriots Could Go After David Njoku

The New England Patriots will have plenty of opportunities to retool their offense in the hopes to get back to the Super Bowl in 2026. At first glance, the major needs are obvious: protecting Drake Maye, getting to the passer, maybe another valuable weapon at wide receiver?

But the tight end position can come up big for the Patriots this offseason, and one pending free agent is likely to hear his name in coversations for the next few weeks. David Njoku, who spent nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns before announcing on Instagram that he won't be returning in 2026, could be a nice add for a New England team that, other than Hunter Henry's red zone prowess, didn't get consistent tight end play during their Super Bowl run.

Njoku, 29, is statistically one of the best tight ends in Browns history, and had history of his own with New England's Mike Vrabel. In 2024, Vrabel was on Cleveland's staff as a consultant -- working with Njoku on a daily basis. This season, he was a key part of the Browns' offense before rookie Harold Fannin Jr. took over the starting job. With Fannin's emergence, it left the door open for Njoku to leave for greener pastures.

The Hunter Henry Contract Situation

Henry's contract is a major factor into whether the Patriots want to spring up for a new starter-caliber tight end. Before 2024, he signed a three-year extension that's paying him $27 million. His cap hit next season is set to be around $11.75 million, a hefty chunk of change for a player who just turned 31. His backup -- Austin Hooper -- will hit free agency in March, and the remaining tight ends on the roster (CJ Dippre, Marshall Lang, Thomas Odukoya) don't provide much longterm hope either.