David Njoku Signing Suddenly Gives Chargers One of NFL’s Most Dangerous Position Groups

The Chargers are adding a new weapon to their offense ahead of the 2026 season.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Los Angeles is signing veteran tight end David Njoku to a one-year deal worth up to $8 million, bringing the 29-year-old to the West Coast after nine seasons with the Browns.

Sources: The #Chargers have agreed to terms with former #Browns TE David Njoku, giving him a 1-year deal worth up to $8M.

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
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 11, 2026

MORE: Ranking the 10 Best Free Agents Still Available After the 2026 NFL Draft

Njoku was selected by Cleveland with the No. 29 pick in the 2017 draft, and has hauled in 384 receptions for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns over the past near-decade—a run that included an 81-catch, 882-yard campaign in ’23 that earned him a Pro Bowl nod. Now, Njoku not only gives quarterback Justin Herbert an athletic move tight end who creates mismatches in the passing game, but also puts a cap on one of the NFL’s best position rooms in a league that has continued to see the tight end position evolve into a focal point of modern offenses.

Here’s more on the Chargers’ tight end group heading into the 2026 season.

David Njoku gives the Chargers a true three-headed monster at tight end

Njoku is set to join a Los Angeles tight end room currently constituted of returning veterans Oronde Gadsden, Tanner McLachlan and Thomas Yassmin, as well as free agent signee Charlie Kolar. For the sake of this discussion, we’re going to focus on their top two on the depth chart in Gadsen and Kolar.

A fifth-round pick of the Chargers in 2025, Gadsden quickly emerged as a favorite target of Herbert last season. The 6' 5", 236-pound tight end was targeted 69 times over 15 games, and finished his rookie campaign with 49 receptions for 664 yards and three touchdowns. He also tallied 11 explosive plays (20 yards or more)—the second most on the team behind only wide receiver Quentin Johnston.

Kolar, meanwhile, developed into one of the league’s top blocking tight ends over his first four seasons with the Ravens. Despite catching just 40 passes for 409 yards and four touchdowns since being drafted in 2022, the 27-year-old signed a three-year, $24.3 million contract with Los Angeles this offseason thanks to his ability to make an impact without the ball in his hands. He now goes from coast-to-coast (and from Harbaugh-to-Harbaugh), looking to help jumpstart the Chargers’ offense under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel—which brings us to a perfect segue.

While he ultimately left much to be desired during his time as head coach of the Dolphins, the reason McDaniel was hired in Miami in the first place was for his elite offensive mind—a reputation he built during his time with the 49ers. Over five seasons in San Francisco from 2017 to ’21, McDaniel, alongside Kyle Shanahan, developed an offense that scored 24.1 points per game and was predicated on a zone running scheme that—with plenty of motion, misdirection and the ability to run the same concepts out of different formations and personnel groupings—averaged 122.5 rushing yards per contest. Oh yeah, and he also helped turn George Kittle into a perennial All-Pro and one of the league’s top tight ends.

Long story short, with Njoku’s athletic ability, Gadsden’s emerging role and Kolar’s ability as an in-line blocker, the Chargers suddenly have one of the top tight end rooms in all of football—giving McDaniel and Herbert quite the chess piece to build their offense around in 2026 and potentially beyond.

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