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Patriots Could Sign Pro Bowl Pass-Catcher

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Mike Roberts | Last updated Feb 15, 2026 8:34 AM ET

David Njoku will be one of the top free agent tight ends on the market. Could he sign with the New England Patriots? Ethan Hurwitz of Sports Illustrated believes the team might go after Njoku this offseason:

“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 conversations 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.”

Tight end isn’t necessarily a huge need for New England. Perhaps adding offensive line help is the team’s biggest need this offseason. But it wouldn’t hurt to sign an offensive weapon like David Njoku.

Patriots Could Sign Tight End David Njoku

Looking Back at His Career

David Njoku played college football at Miami (FL). During his two seasons with the Hurricanes, he caught 64 passes for 1,060 yards, and nine touchdowns.

The Browns selected Njoku in the first round (29th overall pick) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He started five of his 16 games as a rookie, catching 32 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns. Njoku became a starter the following year, recording 56 receptions, 639 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. He played in just four games, though, during the 2019 season due to injury.

Njoku was a solid contributor over the next few years. In 2023, he caught 81 passes for 882 yards and six touchdowns (all career-highs). As a result, he was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. Missing six games due to injury in 2024, he posted 64 receptions, 505 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.

This past season, Njoku was a key part of the Browns’ offense before rookie Harold Fannin Jr. took over as the starter. Njoku caught 33 passes for 293 yards, and four touchdowns in 2025.

Should the Patriots Sign David Njoku?

The Patriots struggled mightily, finishing with a 4-13 record in 2024. But under new head coach Mike Vrabel’s leadership and the emergence of second-year quarterback Drake Maye, things turned around big time in 2025. The team went 14-3 and, of course, reached the Super Bowl, where they lost 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks.

Maye had a phenomenal season, throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also finished as the runner-up for NFL MVP behind Matthew Stafford.

If the Patriots want to return to the Super Bowl, they must surround Maye with as much talent as possible. The team has a good tight end in Hunter Henry, who recorded 768 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns this past season.

Despite having Henry on the roster, signing David Njoku still makes sense. No, he isn’t a Prime Travis Kelce by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s a solid pass-catcher.

Pairing Njoku with Henry could transform the Patriots into one of the NFL’s top two-tight-end attacks. Plus, the duo could further accelerate Maye’s development. So yes, New England should sign Njoku this offseason.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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