Among the most overlooked and underrated needs on the Patriots' 2026 roster was tight end, with just Hunter Henry expected to be the leader of the room after Austin Hooper wasn't re-signed in free agency. Although the team did sign Julian Hill to be a lead blocker, the offense needed another playmaker, and there were a few unsigned players who could fill that role.
It's likely what led New England to use their third-round draft pick on Eli Raridon, the best remaining player at the position on the board, but there are questions about his NFL potential after suffering several injuries throughout his college career.
That seemingly paved the way for a player like David Njoku to be on their radar, especially since he became quite a force during his nine years with the Cleveland Browns, only for the Patriots to watch him sign with the Chargers this week instead.
Sources: The #Chargers have agreed to terms with former #Browns TE David Njoku, giving him a 1-year deal worth up to $8M.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 11, 2026
After nine years with Cleveland, Njoku moves on to catch passes from Justin Herbert in a deal done by @malkikawa of @FirstRoundMgmt. pic.twitter.com/3nET4eEwNo
Although there wasn't much news about the Patriots' interest in Njoku, he was the kind of veteran who would have immediately elevated the room and helped Henry mentor the next group to take over, particularly amid rumors that this was his final year in Foxboro.
David Njoku would've been an underrated signing for the Patriots to make
Because Henry is entering the final year of his contract in 2026, the assumption is that the Patriots will want to groom the next TE1 to take over as soon as next season. And while that wouldn't necessarily have been Njoku, he could have been a solid transitional veteran in his place, probably for a lower price.
Instead, the longtime Browns player will head to LA to play for the Chargers, and if he thrives in his new home, it will only make the Patriots' oversight look even worse.
There is some optimism that rookie Raridon will surprise everyone this fall, as he has a lot of the tools to be a game-changer for the offense. But that's far from a sure thing, and given Njoku's career, we know he would've been a solid weapon for Drake Maye to work with.
Maybe they have another plan, or they could be content with who they have right now and plan to fully address tight end next offseason. We won't know until the season begins, but we can only hope that passing on Njoku won't be a mistake we look back on and wish they had gone about it differently.
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