Since we don't really know how the Kyle Pitts saga will end for the Atlanta Falcons, it's forcing Kevin Stefanski to look at alternatives. Whether it be through the draft or in free agency, tight end is a position the Falcons badly need to add because of Stefanski's affinity for running 12 personnel.
Luckily, the free agent TE class is pretty deep, so there will be contingencies if Pitts isn't retained. Of those backup plans, reuniting Kevin Stefanski with David Njoku is the one that makes the most sense, especially after he took to social media to announce that he won't be returning to the Browns in 2026.
Tight end David Njoku, who is scheduled to be a free agent, announced on social media that he will not return to the Browns in 2026. pic.twitter.com/cSjEiicMVH
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 10, 2026
Njoku has spent all nine of his NFL seasons in Cleveland, so this is big news. This past season, Harold Fannin Jr. supplanted him as the top tight end on the depth chart with a breakout rookie season, so he was never expected to return, but the 29-year-old will have many suitors, the Falcons included.
Njoku is certainly an option for the Dirty Birds should Pitts leave and they need to replace him, but he also could be in play to pair the two together. Charlie Woerner is Atlanta's backup tight end, and he isn't a good enough pass-catcher to thrive in a system that's centered around tight end production.
David Njoku is one step closer to reuniting with Kevin Stefanski with the Falcons
The 29-year-old made the Pro Bowl in 2023, but has been one of the most consistent tight ends in the sport since entering the league. He's also the perfect red zone threat and security blanket for an offense desperate for more pass-catching juice beyond Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson.
Across 12 games, the 2017 first-round pick out of Miami caught just 33 passes for 293 yards in 2025, but caught four touchdowns. He dealt with some lingering knee issues that hampered his production, but Fannin was the tight end who developed a better rapport with Shedeur Sanders down the stretch.
Njoku is entering his age-30 season, so while his price tag could be an issue, I seriously doubt teams are chomping at the bit to break the bank on a player whose prime may or may not already be over-- even if he is still capable of producing for a contending team.
In all likelihood, Njoku is leaving Cleveland to join a team with more playoff hopes, and the Falcons are just that. Even if his role diminishes and he's playing behind Pitts, he'll be playing in the weakest division in football in a scheme he's familiar with as a part of a roster that's built to instantly compete.
It's weird that both the Haslam family and Andrew Berry were thanked by name in his post, but Stefanski wasn't. But that's irrelevant, since it won't matter in the end if the two-time Coach of the Year can put his connections to use with his disgruntled former player and bring him to Atlanta-- even if Pitts stays.