Whatever you think about the overall upside of their haul, the Los Angeles Chargers filled a number of needs in the 2026 NFL Draft.
They added a league-ready pass rusher, a (hopefully) starting-caliber left guard, a speedy wide receiver, a ball-hawking safety, a run-stuffing nose tackle, a lanky depth piece at offensive tackle, and a pair of capable guards who will compete to make the roster. It was, overall, a successful outing for Joe Hortiz and company.
But these selections inevitably came at the cost of filling other roster needs. Most glaringly, the Chargers must add a third tight end to slot in between Oronde Gadsden II and Charlie Kolar. It's likely Los Angeles didn't think it would find that on Day 3 and that they would have better options in free agency. Given the amount of cap space they still have at their disposal, it was a worthy gamble.
Now, it's been announced they're hosting long-time Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku on a visit, and he could prove to be the final piece of their offensive puzzle, serving as a perfect blocking and pass-catching medium between the two extremes that Gadsden and Kolar represent.
David Njoku could be the perfect addition to the Chargers' TE room this offseason
Granted, Njoku would likely be the priciest tight end remaining on the market. Per Spotrac, he's projected to earn a two-year, $10 million deal this offseason. But with the other primary options being Jonnu Smith, Zach Ertz, and Darren Waller, it's quite likely Njoku also has the highest upside out of the remaining players at his position.
He suffered a bit of an offensive dip in 2025 with the emergence of Harold Fannin Jr. in Cleveland's offense, posting just 293 yards, four touchdowns, and 33 receptions across 12 games. But he's not too far removed from a Pro Bowl season in 2023, and he has the consistent pass-catching pedigree throughout his career to think that he can continue to be a threat on his next contract.
Beyond that, though, he also provides serious blocking upside— something the Chargers must require in whoever they add at the position.
Although Gadsden was a breakout offensive contributor in his rookie campaign, he still has serious deficits as a blocker. The addition of Kolar was a direct response to that. But Kolar saw just 15 targets all of last season.
The Chargers need a sort of go-between— someone who can complement Gadsden as a pass-catcher while simultaneously holding his own if the team wants to run multiple-tight-end sets. Njoku could be the perfect option for that role, and Los Angeles' upcoming visit with the free agent is a promising sign.
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