BEREA, Ohio — The Browns relationship with David Njoku has come a long way since he requested a trade. Njoku is now one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL, as signing a 4-year contract extension to stay in Cleveland.
"I guess everything comes full circle. Obviously, in the past, we had our differences," Njoku said.
He then identified the turning point that made him want to stay in the city that drafted him in 2017.
"The time that I just decided to ignore all the noise and just put my head down and work is when I realized I do wanna be here long term," Njoku said.
The contract extension is worth nearly $57 million with $28 million guaranteed. The agreement has been met with some criticism, but none of that noise has made its way to Njoku.
"This is actually my first time hearing someone said the Browns overpaid me. I didn't hear that. It is what it is. We agreed. Together," Njoku said on Wednesday.
The value the Browns have placed on Njoku's future will result in a more featured role this season. Head Coach Kevin Stefanski noted his evolution multiple times, expressing how impressed he is with the five-year veteran.
"There's not a lot of guys that can run, block and catch," Stefanski said.
Njoku isn't without room for improvement, though. Offensive Coordinator Alex Van Pelt identified route development and finishing plays as areas for him to work on.
Carly Mascitti is a sports anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @carlymascitti.
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