Browns takeaways: David Njoku is clearly a candidate to be tagged

INDIANAPOLIS — The Browns are confident David Njoku will play for them next season one way or another.

That's because they can resort to using a franchise or transition tag on the tight end if the two sides are not able to work out a long-term contract extension with free agency looming.

Browns General Manager Andrew Berry wouldn't disclose Tuesday whether he considers Njoku a candidate to be tagged.

“It's a good question,” Berry said during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. “I think you know me well enough that those business considerations I'll keep pretty close to the vest and in house. Any discussions that we have with players or agents, those remain confidential.”

Translation: Berry's personal policy is to refrain from publicly discussing contractual situations, and he doesn't want to jeopardize negotiations, but he could tag Njoku to ensure retaining him in the absence of an extension.

In recent months, Berry, coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt have talked about Njoku as if they really want him back.

And Njoku insisted Jan. 10 he wants to be back, despite the Browns failing to meet expectations last season en route to a record of 8-9.

“I love it here. I love it here to the core," he said then. "I honestly want to be here for the rest of my career, so my agent and the Browns are still in talks, we're still negotiating, figuring out what we can do, and we'll go from there.”

Njoku is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. March 16 after playing last season on his $6.013 million fifth-year option.

In August, Njoku said he would instruct agent Malki Kawa to work toward an extension with the Browns.

Tagging Njoku would give the Browns another season with him and more time to reach an extension.

The deadline for teams to designate franchise or transition players is 4 p.m. March 8.

Using a non-exclusive franchise tag on Njoku would cost the Browns a projected $10.834 million next season, according to OverTheCap.com. Applying a transition tag to him would cost them a projected $9.332 million.

With a non-exclusive franchise tag, Njoku would make the average of the top five salaries among tight ends in the past five years. He would be allowed to negotiate with other teams, but the Browns would have the right to match any offer or receive two first-round draft picks if he were to sign elsewhere. In other words, he would stay with the Browns.

With a transition tag, Njoku would make the average of the 10 highest-paid tight ends. The Browns would have the right of first refusal if he were to receive an offer from another team, but they wouldn't be awarded any draft pick compensation if they declined to match a deal from a different club.

Berry played a huge role in the Browns trading up to draft Njoku in the first round (29th overall) out of the University of Miami in 2017. At the time, Berry was the Browns' chief talent evaluator and held the title of vice president of player personnel.

“David Njoku has played really good football for us over the last five years,” Berry said.

The truth is Njoku hasn't always played well, but he has improved.

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It's also strange to say the Browns are excited about a player's potential who has five NFL seasons under his belt, but that's actually the case with Njoku.

“He's come a long way — I would say both on and off the field,” Berry said. “That's a credit to him and how hard he's worked. I think David as a player, he's still 25 years old. I think he's close to maturity, and I think as his opportunities increase, his impact will grow.”

Last season, Njoku caught 36 passes on 53 targets for 475 yards and four touchdowns and played 16 of 17 games.

Paying Njoku this offseason will turn the attention to fellow Browns tight end Austin Hooper, who hasn't lived up to the four-year, $42 million contract he signed in March 2020 as an unrestricted free agent.

Hooper is due $9.5 million next season, when he'll carry a salary-cap hit of $13.25 million. But cutting him would be painful from a financial standpoint, costing the Browns a dead cap hit of $11.25 million in 2022, unless they were to do it with a post-June 1 designation, which would spread the cap hit over two years.

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Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is another player the Browns would like to re-sign.

Clowney has said he's open to coming back, but it'll depend on the money.

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All of this points to Clowney likely fielding offers on the open market before deciding whether to commit to the Browns for another season.

Clowney has been a free agent twice. He signed with the Tennessee Titans in September 2020 and the Browns in April 2021. He has never signed as soon as free agency opened in March.

“We are fine letting guys hit the market in the right circumstances,” Berry said. “Sometimes that actually fits a little bit better, depending on who the player is or where we are from a cap perspective or what the position is. And then there are some situations where you do have a high degree of urgency. Each situation is unique. I wouldn't necessarily read into it whether the guy gets done pre-market or goes to the market.”

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Berry didn't want to call wide receiver and defensive line the team's top offseason priorities. But on paper, those positions need the most help.

“Obviously, we have to get more players under contract in both of those spots, needless to say,” Berry said. “Ultimately, we're going to prioritize opportunity, and I think there are a number of ways to assemble a team.”

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Right now, most draft analysts predict the Browns will select a receiver in the first round (No. 13 overall) the night of April 28. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah is one of the exceptions.

If Clowney doesn't re-sign and the Browns don't acquire another veteran defensive end to pair with All-Pro Myles Garrett, a number of analysts will inevitably pivot to end at No. 13.

“It would be disingenuous to say that free agency doesn’t have some interplay with the draft, to be honest,” Berry said. “But I wouldn’t say it would be like a primary driver in terms of what we did or would do with the 13th pick.”

Edge rusher is generally viewed as a more valuable position than receiver, but Berry wouldn't tip his hand.

“I don't have a hard stance on that,” he said.

Thumbs up on D'Ernest Johnson, Denzel Ward with the Cleveland Browns, but not Malik McDowell

Decisions on Johnson, Ward, McDowelBerry wouldn't disclose whether he'll tender third-string running back D'Ernest Johnson as a restricted free agent, but retaining him is a no-brainer.

“D'Ernest had a great year for us,” Berry said. “We'll work through that over the next several weeks.”

Best guess? The Browns will use a second-round RFA tender on Johnson for a projected $3.986 million.

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Berry continued to speak as if he hopes to sign cornerback Denzel Ward to a contract extension. The Browns tried to secure Ward long term before the 2021 season, but a deal wasn't finalized. Ward proceeded to have the best season of his career.

“You know we really like Denzel,” Berry said. “Again, those [discussions] will stay in house. We'll see how that plays out over time, but had a great year for us. Homegrown talent. He's obviously a core guy for us.”

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On the other hand, Malik McDowell is not expected to have a future with the Browns after being arrested in January on charges of indecent exposure in public, resisting arrest with violence and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer in Deerfield Beach, Florida. McDowell pleaded not guilty to the charges and has an arraignment and bond status hearing scheduled for March 7, according to court records.

The defensive tackle with a long history of off-field trouble is highly unlikely to be retained as an exclusive rights free agent, a person familiar with the situation said at the time of the arrest.

Berry said he has remained in contact with McDowell since then but wouldn't comment on the player's future.

“I'm not going to speak on this situation,” Berry said. “Primary focus is on his well being and kind of working through his personal stuff.”

In other words, Berry wants to handle questions about McDowell with sensitivity, but McDowell is no longer in the Browns' plans.

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns' David Njoku is candidate to be tagged