NFL Player News

Wells was waived by the Bengals on Sunday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Wells signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in mid-May but didn't appear in Saturday's preseason matchup against the Bengals. Whether he's able to land another contract ahead of the 2021 campaign remains to be seen.

There are fears that Carlson suffered a season-ending knee injury in Saturday's preseason opener against Jacksonville, Jake Trotter of ESPN.com reports.

The severity of Carlson's knee injury hasn't been confirmed yet, but it sounds like he'll be facing a lengthy absence. This is an unfortunate turn of events for the tight end, who had been enjoying a strong camp and was on track to secure a spot on the Browns' 53-man roster.

Sweeney didn't practice Sunday due to an apparent foot injury, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Sweeney played 18 offensive snaps in Friday's preseason opener against the Lions and hauled in two of his three targets for 34 yards. However, he apparently suffered an injury and was seen in a walking boot Sunday. The Bills haven't yet announced when Sweeney will be able to return.

Wells was let go by the Patriots on Sunday, Jim McBride of The Boston Globe reports.

Wells failed to stick with the team after the first preseason game. The tight end spent some time on New England's practice squad last season but is unlikely to earn such a role this year.

Arnold did not suit up for the Panthers' first preseason tilt against the Colts on Sunday, ESPN's David Newton reports.

Arnold has made some strong impressions during training camp, so much so that he has put himself in a position to start for the Panthers this season. Starters usually get the first week of preseason off, which hints at the team's plans for the fifth-year pro. We should get a first-hand look at the chemistry developing between Sam Darnold and Arnold as the preseason progresses.

Smith was diagnosed with a low left ankle sprain following Sunday's practice, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

During a 1-on-1 drill, Smith got tangled up with a defensive back, had an awkward landing and limped to the sideline. After an examination of his left foot, he could miss some practice in the short term, but the injury isn't deemed to be a serious one. Elsewhere in the tight end room, Hunter Henry returned to practice Sunday after missing the past week due to a shoulder issue.

Njoku (shoulder) hired a new agent, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Njoku signed with Malki Kawa of First Round Management, who had previously been the player's agent until the tight end left him for Drew Rosenhaus last summer. At the time, Njoku wanted out of Cleveland, requested a trade, and felt Rosenhaus could deliver on that demand. The Browns refused to budge and kept Njoku while exercising the fifth-year option of his rookie deal. A lot has changed since then, most notably the Browns are a postseason contender and building something in Cleveland. Kawa said he'll do what he can to get Njoku with the Browns long term, and that the player would like to work something out with the team. Njoku's currently listed as second on the depth chart, but it's more of a co-second along with Harrison Bryant.

Smith (foot/ankle) exited Sunday's practice early, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Reiss notes that the tight end "got tangled up with a defensive back in a low-speed 1-on-1 drill, landed a bit awkwardly, and limped off" during the session. Given that Smith didn't end up returning to the field, we'll consider him day-to-day for now. Meanwhile, fellow free-agent addition Hunter Henry (shoulder) returned to practice Sunday.

Brown did not play in Saturday's 26-7 win over the Packers in preseason Week 1.

It looked like Brown was going to start the contest after Jordan Akins (leg) was injured earlier in the week, but the decision was made to hold him out. After showing promise when promoted from the practice squad last season, Brown has been the best tight end in camp and was given a starter's treatment for the preseason opener. Akins was the presumed No. 1, but Brown was the top dog on the unofficial depth chart entering the game.

Trautman played 16 snaps without seeing a target in Saturday's preseason loss to Baltimore, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

It's a disappointing start to the preseason for a second-year breakout candidate, especially given that Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston attempted 12 passes apiece. Of course, it's still a small sample from an exhibition contest, so the broader case for Trautman remains the same. The 2020 third-round pick is hoping to become one of the Saints' top pass catchers, particularly while WR Michael Thomas rehabs from ankle surgery early in the season. We'll hope to see a busier outing from Trautman when the Saints face the Jaguars on Aug. 23 in their second preseason game.