Cleveland Browns Place Franchise Tag on TE David Njoku Guaranteeing Him Over $10 Million This Year

David Njoku, the tight end for the Cleveland Browns, gets his first franchise tag on Monday. The rookie will now get an opportunity to carry on with his negotiations for a long-term contract with the franchise.

The Browns made a significant move by betting on a young star like Njoku, who has been a consistent player for the team. For the past five years, Njoku made his contributions as a rookie and maintained a fair streak of success. It was earlier reported that Browns and Njoku were engaged in some negotiations; however, the franchise will now have a deadline till July 15 to fix their long-term goals with the tagged player.

Njoku gets a pay raise in Cleveland Browns

The 25-year-old tight end was able to validate his abilities when the Browns decided to opt him for the fifth consecutive year. It seemed like the team wanted a rookie as their first-choice TE, even though Njoku was going through a rough patch. He similarly reverted their acknowledgment by expressing his desire to continue with the team.

Njoku was paid around $6.01 million last season as a part of his fifth-year contract. But now he will receive around $10.931 million annually and an opportunity to continue with his team in the 2022 season.

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The NFL Network had earlier reported that Browns made an exciting offer of $13 million to the star. It was pretty lucrative for a TE, however, the negotiations couldn’t reach a viable conclusion.

David Njoku: A rising STAR!

Since his inception in the NFL world, Njoku has always been a budding star. He was selected as the 29th overall pick by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. And he showcased his class the next year with a career-best 56 catches for 639 yards. But his performance saw a gradual decline in the upcoming seasons of the league, which led to some apprehensions about his tactical abilities.

Njoku was determined enough to trust his game and move forward. He totaled 148 receptions in five seasons and made 36 catches for 475 yards with four touchdowns in 2021. No doubt, this time he will bag a hefty offer and a bright future in the world of the NFL.

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