When the Los Angeles Chargers made the move to sign David Njoku to a one-year deal worth a base value of $3 million this offseason, it seemed like a perfect union for both parties.
The Chargers needed a third tight end to help connect the dots between Charlie Kolar, who was set to function primarily as a blocker, and Oronde Gadsden II, whose primary asset is his pass catching. Njoku, who has a solid mix of both skill sets on his résumé, seemed like the perfect TE2 to slot in between those players.
From his perspective, though, the deal also made perfect sense. Not only did the Chargers lay out a series of incentives that could take his one-year deal up to $8 million, but the veteran playmaker was looking for an opportunity to rehabilitate his value on the open market outside of Cleveland. The Browns asked him to take on more of a blocking role last year with the emergence of Harold Fannin Jr., and one would imagine that Njoku wanted the opportunity to prove he still has some major pass-catching upside in an NFL offense.
Njoku was always going to be a one-year rental then, especially if Mike McDaniel's offense was able to maximize him alongside Kolar and Gadsden.
But even without the knee injury that's now sent him to the injured reserve, this doesn't seem to be the type of offense to help Njoku realize that aim.
David Njoku likely won't get the production he was seeking out of the Chargers offense even when he returns from the IR
Njoku, entering his age-30 season, certainly isn't as dynamic a pass catcher as he once was. But we're now only three years removed from his 81-reception, 882-yard campaign in 2023, and with the value of tight ends being re-evaluated league-wide, there was a real opportunity for him to earn an elevated deal next offseason.
That is if he was able to resurrect his production within the context of McDaniel's scheme.
Things seemed like they were off to a relatively perfect start in Week 1. Although the Los Angeles offense struggled to gain consistent momentum against the Arizona Cardinals, Njoku still finished the day with five receptions for 58 yards. He seemed to have a major part to play in the Chargers' passing game, and the assumption was that Los Angeles would iron out the rest of the issues before they entered their brutal slate in Week 3.
Week 2 started out well for Njoku as well. He saw three targets on 11 offensive snaps, and although he only posted one reception, he seemed to be an active part of the passing game again. Then he was carted off the field with a leg injury, and since that time, the offense has only appeared to be more and more incapable of freeing up its playmakers on a routine basis.
This is a 'prove-it' year for Njoku. Can he still function as a primary, or even a complementary, pass-catching tight end on a contending offense? The Chargers, theoretically, should've been able to give him the chance to prove that.
But even if he returns at the earliest possible date, which would be the Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, it feels highly unlikely that the offense will have found enough of a rhythm to guarantee him that opportunity. For multiple tight ends to eat in a singular offense, the passing game needs to be varied and consistently successful.
Even if you ignore his injury, would there be enough meat on the bone in Los Angeles' passing game against better defenses to truly help him elevate his value on the open market?
There's still a lot of the season left to be played, and that means there's still a chance for the offense, and Njoku, to turn things around. But hitting his incentives, let alone being a coveted tight end next offseason, feels like a far-away goal at this point.
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