NFL Player News

Akins (leg) returned to practice Monday, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

Akins missed four practices and the preseason opener while dealing with muscle tightness in his leg. He's a clear favorite to lead Houston tight ends in targets this season, but he may not have the blocking chops for a three-down role, which in turn would cap his volume ceiling as a pass catcher. The Texans also have blockers Pharaoh Brown and Ryan Izzo competing for TE snaps, in addition to the more receiving-focused guys like Akins, Kahale Warring, Antony Auclair and rookie fifth-round pick Brevin Jordan.

Conklin suffered a mild hamstring injury Monday, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

The tight end left practice early with a trainer but reportedly isn't expected to be out too long. Conklin is the Vikings' No. 2 tight end, with his solid performance late last season perhaps making it easier for the team to move on from Kyle Rudolph (now with the Giants) in the offseason. The role may entail only 2-4 targets per game, but Conklin could establish mainstream fantasy value if starter Irv Smith misses any time.

Akins (leg) is close to returning to practice, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reports.

Akins has been dealing with muscle tightness in his leg since Wednesday, and he's been held out of practice since then. The tight end also missed Saturday's preseason opener against Green Bay. Coach David Culley is optimistic that the 29-year-old's injury isn't serious, but a better idea of his status likely will be revealed once he's able to increase his activity level.

The Browns placed Carlson (knee) on injured reserve Monday, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reports.

Carlson suffered a season-ending knee injury in Sunday's preseason opener against the Jags, rendering this move more of a formality. Prior to the injury, he was enjoying a strong camp and considered a strong candidate to make Cleveland's 53-man roster.

Tyree Jackson has converted to tight end and has a good shot to make the Eagles, especially if Zach Ertz is traded, Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Jackson was unable to latch on to an NFL roster as a reserve quarterback, so the 6-foot-7 Buffalo product made the switch to tight end in November 2020. He caught two balls for 32 yards in the Eagles' preseason opener and has shown good hands and the ability to get open while running good routes so far in training camp. The team is likely to keep only three tight ends, and right now Dallas Goedert, Ertz and Richard Rodgers all are listed ahead of Jackson on the depth chart. While an Ertz trade seemingly would assure the 23-year-old Jackson a place on the team, his potential at the new position could entice Philadelphia to keep him over Rodgers if Ertz stays put.

Johnson is more involved in the offense since transitioning to tight end, Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Johnson mainly was used to block from a receiver position during his rookie year, but he has since been moved to tight end in Year 2, and it appears to be a more natural fit for the 6-foot-4, 231-pound Oregon product. Not only can Johnson still be used to block, he is more of a receiving mismatch against linebackers than he is against cornerbacks, as evidenced by his two-catch, 71-yard performance during last weekend's preseason game against Baltimore. Add in the fact that none of New Orleans' other depth options at tight end seem to have stood out this summer, and Johnson seems to have a great chance at securing a roster spot yet again.

The Cardinals activated Daniels (undisclosed) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Daniels spent less than a week clearing the league's COVID-19 protocols. He will resume operating alongside Maxx Williams as one of the Cardinals' top tight ends. Given the timing of his return, Daniels will have plenty of time to ramp up his workload before Friday's exhibition contest against the Chiefs.

Sternberger (suspension) could be on the roster bubble, according to Bill Huber of PackerCentral.com.

Sternberger caught three passes for 35 yards in the Packers' preseason opener against the Texans and hauled in a 34-yard pass from Jordan Love on the Packers' only scoring drive of the night. However, tight ends coach Justin Outten was not complimentary when asked about Sternberger on Sunday and said the team still needs to see more consistency from the player. The Packers have a lot of tight ends they like, so even though Sternberger was a third-round pick just two years ago, he isn't assured of making the cut. Even if he does, he won't be eligible to play Weeks 1 or 2, as he was handed a two-game suspension over the offseason for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Although James was wide open on an easy 30-yard touchdown reception in Saturday's preseason win over the Dolphins, his overall work is solidifying his role as Chicago's third tight end, Adam Jahns of The Athletic reports.

Playing primarily with the backups in the Bears' first preseason game, James was second on the team with four targets, hauling in two of them for 38 yards and a score. Although the seven-year veteran has yet to surpass 423 yards or three touchdowns in any season, he has ability as both a blocker and receiver that would allow him to step in if either Cole Kmet or Jimmy Graham was forced to miss time during the season.

Tonyan drew rave reviews from Packers tight ends coach Justin Outten on Sunday, with the coach stating his belief that Tonyan "has not reached his ceiling yet."

Tonyan did not see action in the Packers' preseason opener, but that was not due to any sort of injury and rather the fact he has established himself as the top tight end in Green Bay. After a breakout 2020 campaign, Tonyan continued making strides over the offseason, with Outten noting, "What (Tonyan) does outside the building has really jumped off. You can progress (in camp), but you have to be able to do it outside this building, and he's really taken care of his body, the mental aspect of it, the gymnastics of the playbook and being utilized a little bit more." It will be tough for Tonyan to match the 11 touchdowns he scored last year, but regardless he'll remain a key piece of the Packers offense in 2021.