With the Ravens losing two tight ends, they’re looking through the AFC North, bringing in David Njoku for a visit. A long-time member of the Browns, Njoku announced before the start of the new league year he would not return. While Baltimore still has Mark Andrews, adding him could make a lot of sense.
The Ravens have not had the offseason they probably desired, and David Njoku won’t change that. Their big move was supposed to be Maxx Crosby, but they backed out of that trade. They still took a big swing with Trey Hendrickson, but they lost ton of talent.
That includes TEs Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, which is why Njoku is now visiting the Ravens. Oh, and FB Patrick Ricard also left this offseason to follow John Harbaugh to the Giants. That’s quite a bit of talent drain for an offense that was rooted in blocking specialists.
According to Adam Schefter, David Njoku visited the Ravens on Tuesday, though as of Thursday morning, there is no contract signed. It’s not uncommon for free agents to leave a team without a signed contract, and doesn’t mean one won’t come. Given his long history in Cleveland, having never been a free agent before, he likely wants to shop around. Hey, the Steelers need another tight end…though maybe not him.
The Ravens are very familiar with Njoku, having played against him for nine years. A first-round pick of the Browns back in 2017, he has played his entire career there until now. With Cleveland firing HC Kevin Stefanski, however, he and others seemingly chose to find new teams.
Over nine seasons, Njoku has registered 384 catches for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns. He never consistently displayed the elite potential that made him a first-rounder to begin with, however. His best season came in 2023, during which he caught 81 passes for 882 yards and 6 touchdowns. All figures represent career-high marks, and he made his first and only Pro Bowl for those efforts.
Despite coming out of college as a finesse tight end, Njoku has developed enough of a penchant for blocking to suit the Ravens. Then again, it’s hard to say for certain if any major changes are coming. While they still have QB Lamar Jackson, the entire offensive coaching staff is different. Including a new offensive coordinator who is barely older than his quarterback.
Charlie Kolar and Patrick Ricard were crucial to the Ravens’ blocking philosophy on offense, and David Njoku is no substitute for that. But he could assume a role similar to that vacated by Isaiah Likely, and presumably for cheaper. Likely signed a three-year, $40 million contract. With Njoku turning 30 this year, he is no longer at the top of the market.
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