NFL Player News

Ertz signed a three-year, $31.65 million contract with the Cardinals on Sunday.

Ertz had a disappointing start to the 2021 campaign with the Eagles but thrived after he was traded to Arizona in mid-October. Across 11 appearances with the Cardinals, he secured 56 of 81 targets for 574 yards and three touchdowns. The 31-year-old's deal keeps him among the highest-paid tight ends in the league.

The Giants waived Smith (knee) on Friday with a failed physical designation, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

Smith played in just nine games during 2021 before landing on injured reserve with a knee injury for the rest of the campaign. As a rookie in 2019, he caught 31 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns across nine games, but he's registered just 21 receptions for 135 yards and zero touchdowns over the past two seasons. In a corresponding move, the Giants re-signed David Sills, who was an impending exclusive rights free agent.

The Chargers have extended a contract tender to Parham, per Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus.

With the reported move, Parham -- an exclusive rights free agent -- is on track to reclaim his role in the Chargers offense in 2022. With that in mind, Kyed adds that Parham has been fully cleared from the concussion that landed him on IR late last season. The 6-foot-8, 237-pounder caught 20 of his 27 targets for 190 yards and three TDs in 14 contests last season. With last year's top pass-catching TE Jared Cook headed for free agency, Parham -- who turns 25 in August -- could potentially see an uptick in targets this coming season, but his fantasy upside won't come into focus until after the bulk of the team's offseason moves have been made.

With Noah Fant slated to head to the Seahawks in the looming Russell Wilson trade, Okwuegbunam currently profiles as the Broncos' top option at tight end, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic reports.

The 2020 fourth-rounder is coming off a 2021 season in which he hauled in 33 of his 40 targets for 330 yards and two TDs in 14 games. With Fant, who saw 90 targets in 16 contests last year, out of the equation, Okwuegbunam seems poised for an uptick in work this coming season, but Kosmider suggests that the Broncos could bring in some tight end competition via free agency and/or the draft. In any case, the anticipated addition of Wilson does boost the fantasy prospects of the team's skill players, a context that gives Okwuegbunam some sleeper appeal, though to what degree depends on how the team's TE depth chart ultimately shakes out in the coming months.

The Raiders tendered Bowers a contract as an exclusive rights free agent Wednesday, Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports.

Bowers made his NFL debut in 2021 and appeared in five games for the Raiders without receiving a target. He'll return to Las Vegas in 2022, assuming he officially signs the ERFA tender.

Horsted was tendered a one-year contract by the Bears on Tuesday, Larry Mayer of the Bears' official site reports.

Horsted appeared in seven games for the Bears last season, seeing just six offensive snaps, but he caught two of his three targets for 21 yards and two touchdowns. The 25 year-old has spent two seasons with the Bears after going undrafted out of Princeton. With fellow tight ends Jimmy Graham and Jesse James set to become free agents, Horsted has an opportunity to earn a larger role next season.

The Broncos dealt Fant, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive end Shelby Harris and five draft picks to the Seahawks for Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

With the move, Fant potentially will have some familiarity with the potential starting quarterback in his new locale, having played with Lock in each of his three seasons to date. Overall, Fant has 170 catches and 10 touchdowns in 47 career games while racking up at least 500 yards each year. The 2019 first-rounder should slot in as the Seahawks' top tight end in 2022.

The Cowboys officially placed their franchise tag on Schultz on Tuesday.

Schultz will carry a $10.9 million salary to stick with the Cowboys for the 2022 campaign, which gives both sides another year to negotiate an extension. The soon-to-be 26-year-old proved his value on offense by racking up 808 yards and eight touchdowns across 17 contests last season, and with Blake Jarwin (hip) expected to miss the start of the 2022 campaign, shoring up the No. 1 tight end spot was exceptionally vital. What's more, Amari Cooper has been floated as a potential cut candidate and Michael Gallup (knee) isn't necessarily a lock for Week 1 even if re-signed. That could position Schultz to kick off the upcoming campaign as the No. 2 target on offense behind CeeDee Lamb.

Gesicki may file a grievance over his franchise tag position, as the tight end designation carries a $10.9 million salary as opposed to an $18.4 million mark for wide receivers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Miami officially placed the franchise tag on Gesicki prior to Tuesday's 4:00 p.m. deadline, and specifically called the 26-year-old a tight end in the announcement. As Fowler notes, Gesicki only operated in pass protection on 3.7 percent of quarterback dropbacks last season, and his 266 run blocks were tied for the 28th-lowest mark at the position. Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network further notes that Gesicki handled the most snaps out of the slot of any tight end in 2021, so he could have a case if an official grievance is ultimately filed. It's unclear whether Miami would go ahead with the plan to franchise tag Gesicki if the cost were to increase by $7.5 million.

The Cowboys will place their franchise tag on Schultz on Tuesday, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The 2018 fourth-round pick emerged with 78 catches, 808 receiving yards and eight touchdowns across 17 appearances in 2021, and with rumors abounding about Amari Cooper potentially being cut, it makes obvious sense for Dallas to keep Schultz in-house. Retaining the tight end through the 2022 season on just under an $11 million salary gives he and the Cowboys more time to negotiate a potential long-term deal. Dallas stands to make the transaction official prior to Tuesday's 4:00 p.m. EST deadline.