Can TE David Njoku return to Pro Bowl form?
The quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers have already been previewed heading into training camp. Now, the attention turns to the tight ends, led by a former Pro Bowler who's trying to rebound from an injury-plagued season.
Considering the love both Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who coached the tight ends a year ago, have for multiple tight end sets, it stands to be a very important position group on the offense. Time to dive into what Cleveland has at the position.
Cleveland Browns tight ends
Brendan Bates
Sal Cannella
Harold Fannin Jr.*
David Njoku
Blake Whiteheart
(* — denotes rookie)
Into the numbers: Cleveland Browns TEs
The 11 games Njoku played in 2024 were his second-lowest for a season since he came into the league in 2017, behind only his four-game 2019 season. Despite that, he still had 97 targets and 64 catches, both the second most in his career behind his Pro Bowl 2023 season. His 505 receiving yards were the fourth most in a season for him.
Fannin, a Canton native, was the nation's FBS Division I college leader in receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,555) at Bowling Green State University in 2024.
Whiteheart's 2024 stats — nine targets, six catches, 51 yards, one touchdown — account for all of his career stats since he came into the league in 2023.
Bates was targeted once as a rookie in 2024. It's the only other NFL statistic accumulated by any tight end on the roster besides Njoku and Whiteheart.
What they're saying: Cleveland Browns TEs
Browns tight ends coach Christian Jones on Njoku, from June 12: "He had a tough year last year. A lot of things going on with injuries, and I think he fought through them all well. He's always going to try and be out on the field and that's something that I've heard and seen expressed from him. And, yeah, it's visible frustration when you ask him how the last year went, that's the first thing you talk about is injuries, how it held him back and what he wants to do as a player — be out there every game that he can and play as many snaps as he can. I think that's something that he's aiming to do this year and I'm excited to see it."
Fannin on his NFL potential, from May 9: 'I think my ceiling is high. I mean, I'm going to keep obviously being coachable, just keep learning. That's really it. Just keep taking everything in and just keep wanting to grow really. So I think I got a high ceiling.'
Jones on approach to Fannin as a rookie, from June 12: "Oh, it's going to be all pushing. You got to push him and see where, at some point rookies always hit a wall, with the installs, with the amount of defenses they see. So you try to push them up into that wall and then find new ways to teach them, new ways to help them learn, new ways to retain information so that way they can keep pushing past it. I think that's something that always happens, guys — once you get the install whatever — five, six guys start to, it starts to flood their head, you got to find ways to bring them back, think through things clearly and then approach it maybe a different way."
Jones on future of the tight end position in NFL: "I think as the game evolves, as nutrition gets better, weight training continues to grow and players, obviously guys are getting bigger, faster, stronger. So I think you're just going to see a lot more athletic players out there, and I think you're going to see guys running a lot more unique routes. I think we've got, there's a lot of tight ends in the class this year that are really athletic and go out and line up that number one and run routes and win, and Harold's done that in college as well. So I think you're going to see a lot of tight ends that could be efficient receivers both in the slot attached and even out at number one versus press."
Training camp analysis: Cleveland Browns TEs
This is a big year for Njoku, who is entering the final year of his contract. The Browns have talked about him being a "core piece" before, but there remains no word on a potential extension to this point. What they want for the present is that good health in 2025 means a return to the form Njoku showed in 2023, when he set career highs in multiple categories while earning his first Pro Bowl berth. Fannin, though, is clearly a nod toward a future that will eventually not include Njoku. The Canton McKinley High School graduate is a different type of tight end than Njoku, who has grown as a strong blocker over his first eight NFL seasons. Fannin has some flexibility in his skill set which makes him a player who could potentially find himself aligned out wide in many formations. Whiteheart easily projects as the No. 3 tight end, with Bates an intriguing prospect who could find a way onto the roster should the Browns keep four tight ends.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns 2025 camp position preview: Can healthy David Njoku lift TEs?
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