Tight end David Njoku worried Cleveland Browns fans when he posted this tweet.
Good Morning all, I have instructed my agent @malkikawa to seek a trade. I want my fans to know first…
— Chief David Njoku (@David_Njoku80) April 1, 2022
Why would he request a trade now that he will be a projected starter next season?
Would he go elsewhere even if Deshaun Watson is already with the Browns?
His post was shared by NFL insiders like Ari Meirov and Ian Rapoport in hopes of delivering the news first.
But a few minutes later, the former Miami Hurricane revealed that it was an April Fools Day prank.
April Fools baby https://t.co/7V90aGXa4Z pic.twitter.com/EaHSQhILfS
— Chief David Njoku (@David_Njoku80) April 1, 2022
The Browns faithful had relief knowing that he was messing around.
After all, he had a decent season with 475 yards and four touchdowns.
It’s not at par with the 639 yards he had in 2018, but it’s commendable considering he had to share time with Austin Hooper.
It’s also an improvement from the 213 yards he had in 2020.
Watson’s arrival should cause an uptick in Njoku’s production.
For that reason, the Browns would like to lock him up long-term.
Contract Negotiations For Njoku Are Under Way
Rapoport bounced back from his earlier blunder by sharing an update regarding Njoku’s contract talks.
Here is a real update, amidst this April Fool’s joke: The #Browns and TE David Njoku are in active talks on an extension, sources say, and there is confidence it can get done by the July 15 deadline.
Now back to ignoring everything (besides this) online today.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 1, 2022
It’s good news that the Browns and Njoku are making progress with their negotiations.
The $11 million franchise tag they gave him was an excellent move to have him for a least one more season.
More importantly, it buys them time to complete the extension before the July 15 deadline.
While there’s no update about the Browns’ offer, they may start with a four-year, $44 million deal.
It’s the same amount Hooper signed in 2020, and it’s a fair price considering the two tight ends’ comparable stats.
Njoku is tied with Mike Gesicki and Dalton Schultz as the sixth highest-paid tight end with the franchise tag.
https://twitter.com/Boilermakers4er/status/1509899411354234907
However, it’s hard to put him closer to George Kittle’s $15 million annual average value.
It’s also fair to offer Njoku a deal lower than Hunter Henry’s $12.5 million salary.
Since Rapoport said that the contract talks are going along well, there’s a possibility that the franchise tag value will be close to the annual value of Njoku’s new deal.
If they offer a four-year deal, there might be a possible opt-out after two years.
The Browns would also defer more money to the latter years for better salary cap management.
Sweetening The Contract With Incentives
There’s also a possibility that the Browns will offer a lower base salary and beef up Njoku’s potential earnings through bonuses and incentives.
They might challenge him to unlock more earnings by elevating his game.
When that happens, both sides will get their money’s worth.
His production will depend on the Browns’ approach in the coming days, especially in the draft.
The work Andrew Berry has done going from David Njoku wanting out of Cleveland 2 years ago, to a long term commitment, is executive of the year material. https://t.co/Zdt1B1I5TF
— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) April 1, 2022
As of this writing, Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones are their top receivers.
However, there’s a possibility that the Browns may draft another wideout with the 44th overall selection.
Adding another athlete to their receiving corps will affect the potential increase in Njoku’s stats.
But having the incentives in place will motivate their primary tight end to become a more prominent contributor on offense.
NEXT: Browns Nation News And Notes (4/2/22)
