NFL Player News

The Raiders claimed Butler off waivers Thursday, Bill Williamson of RaidersSnakepit.com reports.

Butler now joins a crowded Raiders' tight end corps, led by Darren Waller (thumb), Jason Witten and Foster Moreau (knee). He looks to be competing for a back-end roster spot with Nick O'Leary and Derek Carrier.

Henry, who agreed to sign his franchise tag, is still expected to sign a multi-year deal with the Chargers, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Henry and the Chargers have until July 15 to comes to terms on an extension, otherwise he'll presumably play under the $10.6 million franchise tag in 2020. The 2016 second-round pick has been a staple of the team's offense when healthy, but knee injuries in consecutive seasons have limited him to just 12 of 32 games. With long-time veteran Philip Rivers now with the Colts, Henry could have an even greater emphasis as a reliable underneath target for whoever is eventually under center to start the new campaign.

The Lions waived Butler on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old signed a reserve/future contract with the Lions after the 2019, but unless he re-signs, he won't begin training camp with the team. Butler had yet to make his NFL debut since going undrafted out of California University (Pa.) in 2018.

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock said Tuesday that Moreau is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab from the left knee injury he suffered in December, Jerry McDonald of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Moreau, who has been conducting his rehab at his college training facility in Baton Rouge, is expected to be back to full health or close to it by the time the Raiders open training camp. As a rookie last season, Moreau proved to be a quality backup to starting tight end Darren Waller, finishing with 21 grabs on 25 targets for 174 yards and five touchdowns. Moreau's snaps could become less consistent in his second year with the Raiders, however, as Las Vegas not only retained Waller but also brought in veteran Jason Witten this offseason to bolster the tight end room.

Henry will sign his $10.61 million franchise tender Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Henry was hopeful to secure an extension with the Chargers this offseason, but the poor durability he's shown during his first four NFL seasons may have prevented any discussions about a long-term deal from gaining any serious traction. The franchise tag will at least make him one of the NFL's top-paid tight ends during the 2020 season, when he'll look to prove his health and stay productive as the Chargers move on from longtime signal-caller Philip Rivers. Los Angeles is expected to proceed with Tyrod Taylor as its starter entering training camp, but the team could invest its first-round pick into a quarterback who could challenge the veteran for the top job.

With Jimmy Graham having departed in free agency, Sternberger has an opportunity to see an expanded role in 2020, Zach Kruse of USA Today reports.

The report relays that the Packers have plans to use Sternberger "in the slot a lot" this coming season. Robert Tonyan could also see added opportunities in 2020, but Sternberger, who Green Bay selected 75th overall in last year's NFL Draft, is viewed by Larry McCarren of the Packers' official site as a player with the skills to move into a more prominent pass-catching role. Though the Texas A&M product didn't catch any regular-season passes in 2019, Sternberger did haul in three receptions for 15 yards and a TD in two playoff contests. Veteran Marcedes Lewis remains in Green Bay's tight end mix as well, but Sternberger's ability as a route runner could help him emerge as a fantasy sleeper in his second campaign as a pro.

Coach Sean McVay believes he can do a better job utilizing Everett in the Rams offense, Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire reports. "Really, really excited about what Gerald Everett's going to do," McVay said Monday. "I think Tyler Higbee did a phenomenal job, but I think Gerald Everett's a guy that I've got to do a better job of utilizing his skill set because he's a difference-maker."

Everett appeared on track for his long-awaited breakout as recently as early November, averaging 55.6 yards and 8.2 targets over a five-game stretch Weeks 5-10. He slowed down over the next couple games and then suffered a knee injury, opening the door for Tyler Higbee to go wild in December. Higbee is now locked in as the Rams' No. 1 tight end in the first season of a four-year, $29 million extension, but Everett could also see a decent share of snaps and targets if McVay increases his usage of two-TE formations. Of course, that involves the sacrifice of taking Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods or Brandin Cooks off the field, assuming Cooks isn't traded at some point in the coming months. In any case, Everett is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and quite possibly his final season with the Rams.

The Bengals expect Sample (ankle) to handle a larger role in 2020, Paul Dehner of The Athletic reports.

The 2019 second-round pick operated as the Bengals' No. 3 tight end during his rookie season, recording five catches on 108 offensive snaps in nine games before a high-ankle sprain sent him to injured reserve. He'll now have a chance to take on some of the work that previously went to Tyler Eifert, who saw 63 targets last season before signing with the Jaguars in March. C.J. Uzomah is also a candidate to handle some of those snaps and targets, and he'll likely line up as the No. 1 tight end whenever practices begin. The Bengals may also add to their tight-end room during the 2020 NFL Draft, but Dehner believes it isn't one of the team's bigger priorities. Sample should have plenty of time to recover from his high-ankle sprain, if he hasn't already.

The Chiefs and Seals-Jones agreed to terms of a contract Friday, Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports reports.

According to Paylor, the deal encompasses the 2020 season. Seals-Jones has been moderately productive in three pro campaigns, averaging 12.9 yards per catch and scoring eight touchdowns on 60 career receptions between the Cardinals and Browns. The Chiefs don't have much depth behind Travis Kelce, so Seals-Jones may be the frontrunner for the No. 2 role.

Despite signing Austin Hooper, the Browns aren't expected to trade Njoku this offseason, ESPN.com's Jake Trotter reports.

Hooper's presence will make it harder for Njoku to draw targets and establish fantasy value, but the young tight end should nonetheless have an important role under new coach Kevin Stefanski, who frequently utilized multi-TE formations while serving as offensive coordinator in Minnesota last year. It's also worth noting that the Browns don't have an established No. 3 wide receiver, though they did trade for fullback Andy Janovich (elbow) a couple weeks ago. The team has until early May to make a decision on Njoku's fifth-year contract option for 2020, with a report from February suggesting it likely would be picked up. The Hooper signing might change things, and it might also make the Browns more receptive if another team comes calling with a generous trade offer for Njoku.