The Miami Dolphins were never going to sign David Njoku if you’ve been paying attention this offseason. And so…they didn’t.
Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) walks off the field after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Oh no! Another player that the Miami Dolphins were never going to sign has signed elsewhere! Again!
This has become a good bit throughout the course of the offseason. The Miami Dolphins have developed a reputation for spending in free agency and firing off after splash signings. It’s become deserved based on the “big fish” approach in recent history. But then this offseason, amid a total change in philosophy and an extreme adjustment in roster & cap construction…it continued. So please forgive me for my lack of angst with the NFL’s latest signing elsewhere, even as he was a player that some tried to tie to the Dolphins.
David Njoku signs with Chargers amid latest reminder the Miami Dolphins are, indeed, still getting younger and cheaper
Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) walks off the field after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Huntington Bank Field.Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Njoku was tabbed as a potential fit for the Dolphins by some this spring. I’m not sure why, but I digress. He officially has a new team, the Los Angeles Chargers. And with a contract value that’s worth up to $8 million in total value, let’s be honest. It was never going to happen with the Dolphins. Miami is trying to get:
Younger
Cheaper
David Njoku is neither. And yet in mid-April, at least one prediction market had the Miami Dolphins with Njoku’s second-best odds. Neither was wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who Miami had interest in but would have needed a total collapse of his market to even get into the upper levels of the conversation. It’s an unfortunate reality of where the team is at for 2026.
60% of their salary cap obligations this season belong to players no longer on the roster. $8 million for a soon-to-be 30 year old tight end 11 missed games in the last two seasons was not on the menu.
The Dolphins current reality of no cap space will change in a few weeks when June 1st rolls around. But even then, don’t fall into the trap of thinking Miami is opening up the wallet this offseason. Jon-Eric Sullivan, who has been candid at every turn this offseason, has said the team won’t spend big. They need to get back into a healthy standing against the salary cap. And they need to get younger. Just bear it in mind when the inevitable “AJ Brown/Dolphins” rumor pops up on a random slop account near you.
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