NFL Player News

Bell is without a timeline to return from surgery to address a hip flexor injury, ESPN.com reports.

Bell suffered the injury in the Chiefs' preseason opener, which ultimately led to him undergoing surgery. Head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that it's an "unusual" injury, and Reid added that he doesn't expect to see Bell on the field in the near future. The tight end could end up on injured reserve next week, a move that Reid did not rule out.

Smith took part in individual drills Tuesday with a wrap on his thumb and was on the field for some full-team snaps, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Smith hasn't caught any passes, but he is expected to soon. The tight end missed the entire 2021 season after having surgery to repair a meniscus issue in his right knee but opened training camp as a full participant, only to undergo thumb surgery Aug. 2. Coach Kevin O'Connell said last week that Smith is on track to be ready for the start of the regular season, and his return to the practice field is a good sign.

Cager caught three of four targets for 65 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 24-16 preseason win over the Falcons.

Cager scored a 34-yard touchdown in the third quarter, doing most of the work himself after the catch. The former Georgia wide receiver doesn't have the speed to play the position at a high level in the NFL, which is why Cager transitioned to tight end in the offseason. If the Jets opt to keep four tight ends, they'll have to decide between Cager's pass-catching ability and Trevon Wesco's blocking prowess for the final spot.

McKeon was absent from Tuesday's practice due to an ankle injury, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

This is the first news about an ankle injury for McKeon. He is competing for the No. 2 tight end role behind Dalton Schultz with the Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot, so a return to practice sooner rather than later will be beneficial.

The Eagles placed Jackson (knee) on the reserve/PUP list Tuesday, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reports.

Jackson tore his ACL in the Eagles' Week 18 loss to the Cowboys and underwent successful surgery in January. He'll miss at least the first four games of the regular season.

Seals-Jones was placed on injured reserve Tuesday due to a toe injury, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Seals-Jones can't play for the Giants this season, but he might be able to play for another team if he reaches an injury settlement. It's also possible this is truly a season-ending injury, as Seals-Jones otherwise seemed to be right in the mix for snaps in arguably the weakest TE room in the league. Rookie Daniel Bellinger got most of the first-team snaps in the Giants' first two preseason games and had a costly drop-turned-interception in the second one.

The Chargers placed Smartt (undisclosed) on the reserve/non-football injury list Tuesday, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smartt began training camp on the active/NFI list, but he's since shifted to the reserve list. He'll be forced to miss a minimum of four games.

Hudson was waived by the 49ers on Tuesday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Hudson appeared in two games with the 49ers last season, while also spending time on their practice squad. He re-upped with the team on a reserve/future deal in January, but he'll now have to work for a new opportunity elsewhere.

Coach Nathaniel Hackett said the Broncos are doing "everything they can" to get Dulcich (hamstring) on the field Week 1, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

It appears Dulcich will miss a third straight preseason game, in addition to most of training camp and part of the offseason program. He nonetheless has a shot at snaps early in the season, as the Broncos don't seem thrilled with projected starter Albert Okwuegbunam, who has spent a lot of time playing alongside backups and third-stringers this preseason. The Broncos' other tight ends are more relevant as blockers than receivers, so it'll presumably be one of the two young guys getting TE snaps in clear passing situations if nothing else. For Dulcich, the first challenge is getting his hamstring to a point where he can play.

Knox (personal) took part in Tuesday's practice, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Knox was away from the Bills recently due to the passing of his brother. Now that he's back with the team, the fourth-year tight end will have one more chance to get some preseason reps Friday at Carolina.