NFL Player News

Vannett anticipates having chances to make plays in the passing game with New Orleans. "I'm just excited for being in this system, especially as a tight end." Vannett said during minicamp. "I think they do a great job of really giving us a legit shot of making plays in this system."

Spending time with Seattle, Pittsburgh and Denver since being drafted out of Ohio State in 2016, Vannett never topped 20 receptions in a season in college and has only done it once through five years in the pros. While New Orleans' Sean Payton represents the first offensive-minded head coach that Vannett will play under in the NFL, the potency of the Saints offense going forward largely hinges on the ability of Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill to replace future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Drew Brees. While Vannett should see plenty of playing time this year after the Saints decided against further bolstering the tight end position through the draft, the 28-year-old seems significantly less likely to emerge as a fantasy asset compared to Adam Trautman, who racked up 916 yards and 14 touchdowns during his final season at Dayton in 2019.

Arnold said Tuesday that he's eager for the opportunity to take on a bigger role with the Panthers in 2021, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

Arnold signed a two-year deal with Carolina this offseason after posting a career-best 31 catches on 45 targets for 438 yards and four touchdowns for the Cardinals in 2020. Although Arnold will have to adjust to his third team in five years, the 26-year-old's solid campaign in the desert has him positioned to slot in as the Carolina's top tight end, a position where the team received little production from starter Ian Thomas last season. Rookie third-round pick Tommy Tremble also joins Arnold and Thomas ahead of the upcoming campaign, but Arnold is viewed as the current leader of the group and was able to get more comfortable with quarterback Sam Darnold over OTAs and minicamp.

Teammate Jimmy Graham believes Kmet has a bright future in the NFL, Larry Mayer of the Bears official website reports. "[Kmet]'s just a special kid," Graham said. "For him, there's truly no ceiling. He can be as good as he wants to be."

The 34-year-old may be right about Kmet's future, but it'll be tough for the young tight end to make good on his potential if Graham is still on the roster. While some assumed Graham would be released or forced to take a pay cut this offseason, he's currently still under contract with the Bears for a non-guaranteed $7 million base salary. The team has dropped multiple hints about keeping Graham around, potentially relegating Kmet to a timeshare again. The 43rd overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft played 56.3 percent of Chicago's offensive snaps last season, yet finished with only 28/243/2 on 44 targets. Kmet's upside scenario for 2021 probably requires Graham to be pushed out of the picture somehow.

Smith says dietary changes helped him get in better shape this offseason, Mark Inabinett of al.com reports.

The third-year pro made a strong impression on Vikings OC Klint Kubiak, who said Smith was in "phenomenal shape" when he showed up for the team's offseason program in May. Smith was only 20 years old when the Vikings made him a second-round pick in the 2019 draft, and he'll celebrate his 23rd birthday Aug. 9, one month before the start of the regular season. Given his age, draft status and Kyle Rudolph's offseason departure to New York, it's no wonder Smith is one of the popular breakout candidates at tight end this summer. Granted, he'll still be sharing an offense with RB Dalvin Cook and WRs Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, so even an every-down role won't necessarily lead to more than a handful of targets per game. Smith is anticipating a larger role, while Vikings coach Mike Zimmer believes backup tight end Tyler Conklin is the one who needs to step up. "Honestly, I don't think it's any bigger role for [Smith] whatsoever," Zimmer said. "I think it's a bigger role for Tyler Conklin."

Higbee was sidelined for the Rams' offseason program, according to Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com.

With no report of an injury, it's possible Higbee simply chose not to participate. He did deal with hand and elbow injuries last season, but he was still able to play in 15 regular-season games and both of the Rams' playoff contests. There's an opportunity for Higbee to see more snaps and targets after Gerald Everett signed with the Seahawks in March, though 2020 fourth-round pick Brycen Hopkins and 2021 fourth-rounder Jacob Harris could challenge for some playing time in passing situations. Higbee caught more than 70 percent of his targets each of the past three seasons, and his impressive efficiency should continue with the Rams upgrading from Jared Goff to Matthew Stafford under center.

Smythe is expected to compete with rookie third-round pick Hunter Long for the backup spot at tight end behind Mike Gesicki in training camp, Safid Deen of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Smythe took a major step forward as a receiver in 2020 with 26 catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns, eclipsing the total production from his first two years in the league. However, Smythe and Gesicki are both entering the final seasons of their rookie contracts, which may have prompted the Dolphins to select Long in the third round. Gesicki has 104 receptions for 1,273 yards and 11 touchdowns over the past two years and is a prime extension candidate, while Smythe will need to hold off Long in order to remain Miami's No. 2 tight end.

Thomas said earlier this month that he believes he'll continue to improve as he prepares for his fifth season of playing tight end, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.

The former college quarterback broke out for a 72-670-6 receiving line in his age-29 season after signing last offseason with a Washington team that had minimal talent at tight end. The team's offense has stiffer competition for targets this year, but Thomas' starting job appears secure, and it's reasonable to expect continued development given that he didn't start playing at tight end until 2017. This will also be the first time he's played in the same offensive scheme in back-to-back seasons, as Thomas spent time with the Cardinals, Dolphins, Giants, Lions and Bills before finding his first starting job in Washington in 2021. His late breakout was driven by volume (110 targets) rather than efficiency (6.1 yards per target), but Thomas could improve the latter to make up for the loss of the former if he's seeing more accurate passes in a better offense. Washington is counting on 38-year-old quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to match his strong performances in Miami the past two years.

Granson made a strong impression in spring practices and could be utilized in the Colts' passing game similar to how Trey Burton was deployed in 2020, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports. "Kylen Granson is what we saw on tape. He's an explosive athlete," head coach Frank Reich said earlier in June. "We knew he was a real smart guy and he's picking up the offense real fast."

The Colts selected Granson in the fourth round of the draft this spring. The rookie looks like he'll have a chance to carve out a role in the offense right away, but he's behind both Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox on the depth chart. Still, the Colts utilized three tight ends in the passing game last season, so room exists for Granson to have a role on offense.

Graham admitted earlier this month that he briefly considered retiring after the Bears were eliminated from the playoffs in January, Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago reports. "I wasn't sure what I was gonna do," Graham said. "But I talked to [general manager Ryan Pace] and talked to [ head coach Matt Nagy], and I'm on board and ready to do whatever it takes to get back in that position and move forward."

Graham has a non-guaranteed $7 million salary in the second season of his two-year, $16 million contract, but he doesn't sound especially worried the Bears will release him. Second-round pick Cole Kmet handled more snaps at tight end down the stretch last year, but the rookie never made an impact in the passing game, while Graham had a team-high eight touchdown receptions. On the other hand, Graham managed just 9.1 yards per catch and 6.0 per target, and he averaged less than five targets per game for a second straight season. Assuming the Bears keep him around, the 34-year-old figures to split snaps with Kmet in 2021.

Goedert is expected to serve as the Eagles' top tight end this season, Glenn Erby of USA Today reports.

Goedert outproduced Zach Ertz in 2020 as the former ascended to the top of the team's depth chart, hauling in 46 balls for 524 yards and three scores. With Ertz reportedly on the trading block or becoming a candidate for release prior to Week 1, Goedert stands to take another step forward statistically this season.