NFL Player News

Goedert (shoulder) said Wednesday that he hopes to return from injured reserve after a minimum four-week stay and play in a Dec. 18 game against the Bears in Week 15, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Though Goedert is eyeing a minimum-length stay on IR, a decision on when he's available to play again will ultimately hinge on how his shoulder responds in the coming weeks. The Eagles are left with Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra and Tyree Jackson at tight end, but none of those three players are likely to directly inherit the 5.8 targets per game that Goedert has averaged this season.

Ricci (neck) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

Ricci was forced out of Thursday's win over the Falcons early due to a neck issue, and he hasn't yet managed a return to full health. The fullback will have two more chances to upgrade his practice activity ahead of Sunday's road matchup against Baltimore.

Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed Wednesday that Ertz (knee) is scheduled for surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2022 season, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

A second opinion apparently confirmed that Ertz won't be able to play again this season. Rookie Trey McBride took on a three-down role following Ertz's departure from the Cardinals' Week 10 win over the Rams, but Arizona could also look to get Stephen Anderson involved down the stretch. Ertz is under contract through 2024, with $4 million of his 2023 salary fully guaranteed and another $3 million guaranteed for injury, per Spotrac.com.

Andrews (shoulder/knee) isn't practicing Wednesday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Head coach John Harbaugh expressed optimism Monday that Andrews would be ready to play after the Ravens' Week 10 bye. Andrews' availability this weekend is no sure thing, especially with the tight end missing another practice as the Ravens prepare for Sunday's game against Carolina. Rookie tight end Isaiah Likely will have a key role again if Andrews misses another game.

Philadelphia activated Jackson (knee) from the reserve/PUP list Wednesday.

Jackson will join the 53-man roster for the first time since tearing his ACL during the Eagles' 2021 regular-season finale. He'll likely operate in a rotational role behind Grant Calcaterra and Jack Stoll if he suits up Sunday in Indianapolis, but all three tight ends are candidates for increased roles while Dallas Goedert (shoulder) is on injured reserve.

The Eagles placed Goedert (shoulder) on injured reserve Wednesday.

Goedert suffered the shoulder injury in the second half of the Eagles' loss to the Commanders on Monday, when he was tackled to the ground on an uncalled facemask and charged with a lost fumble. The Eagles reportedly don't believe Goedert is done for the season, but the tight end will have to miss at least four weeks now that he's been placed on IR. Philadelphia will have to rely on a combination of Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra and Tyree Jackson (knee) to hold down the fort at tight end, but the loss of a playmaker of Goedert's caliber could limit the Eagles' effectiveness on offense.

Horsted went without a target across four snaps on offense in Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Colts.

Though he's served as the Raiders' No. 2 tight end in each of the past four games while Darren Waller (hamstring) has been sidelined, Horsted hasn't benefited from a dramatic increase in playing time. Horsted has taken no more than five snaps in any of those four contests while Foster Moreau has stepped into a full-time role in the absence of Waller. Moreau hasn't seen his snap share on offense fall below 95 percent in any of the past four weeks.

Bates failed to draw a target during Monday's 32-21 win over the Eagles.

Bates was on the field for 41 of Washington's 83 snaps on offense in the upset victory, with his 49 percent share representing his highest mark since Week 5. It's worth noting that Bates ran just eight routes on the night, as the Commanders implemented a run-heavy game plan that often featured Bates sharing the field with top tight end Logan Thomas. On the occasions the Commanders are looking to pass, Thomas is still expected to rank ahead of Bates as the team's preferred option at tight end.

Thomas hauled in two of his four targets for 12 yards in Monday's 32-21 win over the Eagles.

Since missing three straight games from Weeks 5 through 7, Thomas has seen his snap share gradually increase over the Commanders' subsequent three contests. After logging 56 percent of the Commanders' snaps on offense in his return to the lineup Week 8 against the Colts, Thomas bumped up to 70 percent Week 9 versus the Vikings before climbing to 73 percent Monday. Now that his calf injury is further behind him, Thomas should continue to fend off John Bates for No. 1 tight-end duties, but the role hasn't been as fruitful in 2022 for the 31-year-old as it had been the previous two seasons. Through his seven appearances this season, Thomas is averaging just 3.9 targets per game, well down from the 6.1 he averaged in 22 outings between the 2020 and 2021 campaigns.

Mitchell secured his only target for four yards during Sunday's 31-30 win over the Bears.

While Mitchell didn't build upon his two-catch outing in Week 9, the fifth-round rookie saw an uptick in playing time as the Lions attempt to replace T.J. Hockenson. Meanwhile, starter Brock Wright saw a slight downtick in snaps but was still able to find the end zone. Mitchell will look to up his involvement in Week 11 against the Giants.