NFL Player News

Tonyan (knee) wasn't cleared for practice at June minicamp, SI.com's Bill Huber reports.

This is expected, as Tonyan is less than eight months removed from suffering an ACL tear in late October. He'll hit the nine-month mark around the time Green Bay opens training camp, and while Tonyan figures to be absent or limited initially, he has a chance to be ready for Week 1. Reports earlier this offseason suggested the Packers view him as being ahead of schedule in the rehab process, so it might not be long before he re-emerges as a key target for QB Aaron Rodgers in the red zone -- this time in an offense without Davante Adams.

Sweeney (undisclosed) was participating at minicamp Wednesday, Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News reports.

Sweeney was held out of practice last week due to an unspecified injury, but he's been able to retake the field. The 26-year-old appeared in 13 games for the Bills last season and caught nine passes for 44 yards and one touchdown, and he should enter 2022 as the No. 3 option at tight end behind Dawson Knox and O.J. Howard.

The Rams signed Pinkney on Wednesday.

Pinkney spent time on the Rams' practice squad last season before finishing the campaign with the Lions. However, he was waived in May on an injury settlement. Now healthy, the Vanderbilt product will look to carve out a role in Los Angeles' crowded tight-end room, though he may garner increased reps during the offseason with Tyler Higbee and Jacob Harris both currently recovering from knee surgery.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Hill (foot) is rehabbing at the team facility during minicamp, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.

Hill was expected to miss 6-to-9 months after undergoing surgery in January to repair a Lisfranc injury of his left foot, which would put his return timetable close to Week 1. The dynamic playmaker is expected to focus solely on the tight-end position in 2022 after former head coach Sean Payton deployed Hill as a dual-threat quarterback. When healthy, Hill will compete with Adam Trautman, Nick Vannett and Juwan Johnson for snaps.

Hudson (leg) was spotted riding a stationary bike during Tuesday's minicamp practice, John Glennon of SI.com reports.

Hudson was carted off the field during a practice last week, so the fact that he was able to do anything Tuesday is an encouraging sign. There's still been no update on the severity of his injury, but it appears as though the tight end may be ready to go by training camp.

Knox (undisclosed) returned to practice Tuesday after not participating last week, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Knox was dealing with a minor injury during OTAs, but he appears to have moved past the issue and should be full-go for training camp. The 2019 third-round pick caught a career-high nine touchdowns last season, but he may face competition for targets in 2022 from the recently signed O.J. Howard.

Thomas (ankle) remains sidelined during the Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said Thomas was inadvertently kicked during a practice session and has been dealing with a high-ankle issue. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but it's possible Carolina opts to hold the tight end out until training camp at the end of July.

FitzPatrick was limited during Tuesday's mandatory minicamp due to an undisclosed injury, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

FitzPatrick was drafted by the Falcons in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but his pro career is off to a rocky start. The 6-foot-7 tight end caught 17 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown during his final collegiate season at Georgia.

Schultz is in line to be present for this week's mandatory minicamp, Todd Archer of ESPN reports.

The tight end elected to skip the final week of the Cowboys' voluntary OTAs with an eye toward jump-starting contract negotiations. As things currently stand, Schultz is slated to play this coming season under a $10.9 million franchise tag, but NFL Network's Tom Pelissero relays that talks related to a potential long-term deal have recently picked up. Though nothing is imminent on that front, it appears as though there's mutual interest to that end. The 25-year-old is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he logged a career-best stat line (78-808-8) on 104 targets in 17 games.

Tomlinson (foot) was present but not active during practice Monday, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic reports.

Per Mike Klis of 9News Denver, Tomlinson was seen with a boot on his left foot. It may become more clear what exactly Tomlinson is dealing with in the coming days, but in the meantime his absence will create additional opportunities for 2022 UDFA additions Dylan Parham and Rodney Williams.