NFL Player News

The Buccaneers selected Otton in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 106th overall.

Otton becomes the first player off the board for Day 3. The tight end out of Washington is a solid value for Tampa Bay, which was in the market at that position with Rob Gronkowski's status uncertain and O.J. Howard now in Buffalo. Otton missed four games as a senior, two of which were due to an ankle injury that also prevented him from testing at the combine and the Washington pro day. Still, Otton is a smooth pass catcher who caught 91 of 124 targets for 1,026 yards and nine scores in his collegiate career. However, at 247 pounds, Otton's blocking could be an issue at the next level.

The Jets selected Ruckert in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 101st overall.

New York picked up C.J. Uzomah in free agency, but Ruckert is a nice speculative add for the Jets. Ruckert was highly touted coming out of high school, but Ohio State's loaded receiving corps limited his opportunities to shine through the air, as he didn't have a 20-catch season until his senior year. He was unable to test at the combine due to a left foot injury, but Ruckert has a conventional tight-end frame at 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds. Ruckert may be blocked in terms of immediate playing time, but he could find a role in this offense by his second or third season.

The Broncos selected Dulcich in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 80th overall.

Dulcich (6-foot-4, 243 pounds) probably won't be able to give the Broncos many quality in-line reps, and he's not a standout athlete (4.7-second 40, 34-inch broad jump). However, the UCLA product is a skilled receiver and could make a pass-catching impact in the NFL if his athleticism proves sufficient. For the time being, he will likely play in a reserve role behind Albert Okwuegbunam, who is much bigger and faster than Dulcich.

The Colts selected Woods in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 73rd overall.

Woods becomes the second tight end off the board in this class. His size jumps off the page at 6-foot-7 and 259 pounds with 34.5-inch arms but he can move, too. Woods ran an impressive 4.61 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and the film showed good movement skills for a player his size. He blossomed in the Virginia offense in 2021 after transferring over from Oklahoma State, catching 44 of 70 targets for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. Indianapolis invested a pick at tight end last year in Kylen Granson, though, so this is an interesting landing spot. With Jack Doyle's retirement, there's a path to Woods finding a role eventually, but Mo Alie-Cox and Granson project to be higher on the depth chart this season.

The Cardinals selected McBride in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 55th overall.

The Colorado State product becomes the first tight end off the board in this class, and deservedly so. McBride led FBS in targets (134), receptions (90), and yards (1,121) in 2021. However, only one of those 90 catches went for a touchdown, though that speaks more to the general ineffectiveness of the offense he played in. McBride has big hands (10.13 inches) and is crafty at shielding defenders and securing the ball. He doesn't have the athleticism to be much of a threat after the catch, but he could develop into a red-zone threat eventually. With Zach Ertz signed to a new deal, it may take some time for McBride to be an impact player.

Hockenson (thumb) had the fifth-year option on his contract for 2023 picked up by the Lions on Tuesday, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports.

General manager Brad Holmes indicated in late March the Lions would be picking up the option, and the team made that transaction official Tuesday. A long-term deal could still come to fruition, but Hockenson is now under contract for the next two years. The 24-year-old caught 61 of 84 targets for 583 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games in 2021 before undergoing season-ending thumb surgery. There hasn't been any concern regarding his availability for offseason workouts during the spring and summer.

Fortson (Achilles) shared images Thursday of him doing individual football drills with personal trainer Bobby Stroupe in Texas, Juan Cisneros of FOX 4 Kansas City reports.

Fortson caught five passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns across six games during the 2021 campaign before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury during the Chiefs' Week 6 win over Washington. The 26-year-old, who's an exclusive rights free agent, was tendered by Kansas City in mid-March and, barring his health, could have a larger role in 2022 after the departure of Tyreek Hill. It's an encouraging sign to see the second-year tight end training with Stroupe, who's also Patrick Mahomes' trainer, but it remains unclear if he'll be 100 percent by the start of training camp.

Thomas (knee) is progressing well in his recovery from a left ACL tear and has already resumed jogging, Ivan Lambert of USA Today reports.

Thomas said "rehab is going very well" from his Dec. 17 surgery, and noted that his recovery is already "at the jogging stage." While it's positive that the starting tight end is currently "a little" ahead of schedule in his recovery, Thomas also revealed that his surgery was more extensive than previously disclosed. "I did ACL, MCL and both of my meniscus," Thomas said of the procedure. The severity and timing of Thomas' injury makes his status for Week 1 uncertain, so second-year pro John Bates is a candidate to handle increased work during the early stretch of the 2022 campaign.

Akins is signing with the Giants, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

A 2018 third-round pick, Akins never topped 418 yards or two TDs in his four years with the Texans, though he did play at least 13 games each season. He and Ricky Seals-Jones will compete to replace Evan Engram (Jaguars) as the Giants' top pass catcher at tight end, though the upcoming NFL Draft could bring a third competitor for the job.

Smith (knee) didn't run routes at Tuesday's offseason practice, but he expects to be a full participant in training camp this summer, Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Smith was limited in his on-field work, three weeks after Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said the team would "be smart" about the tight end's spring workload. Smith missed the entire 2021 campaign with a meniscus injury, but it sounds like he'll be a big part of the plan for 2022 under a new coaching staff, especially after fellow tight end Tyler Conklin signed with the Jets earlier this offseason. O'Connell remained optimistic Tuesday, noting that Smith was "right on schedule" in the rehab process, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com.