NFL Player News

Engram (foot) remains in a walking boot and isn't expected to practice until training camp, Ryan Dunleavy of the NY Post reports.

Engram had surgery Dec. 20 to address a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, and while he said the ligament wasn't completely torn, he nonetheless faces a lengthy rehab process. The 23rd overall pick from the 2017 draft has averaged 4.5 catches for 51.9 yards and 0.35 touchdowns per game through three seasons, playing in 34 of a possible 48 contests. The Giants have a couple months before they need to decide on a fifth-year option, but it should be an easy enough decision to do so at the expected price of approximately $6 million. Fellow Giants tight end Rhett Ellison (concussion) reportedly is considering retirement, while Kaden Smith could be in the mix for the No. 2 job after he caught 30 of 42 targets for 267 yards and three TDs over the final six weeks of 2019. With a new coaching staff in place, the Giants can start their offseason program as soon as April 6.

Tonyan is recovering from core muscle surgery undergone to address an injury he played through during the 2019 season, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Tonyan was forced to miss five regular-season games last year due to the injury. He hauled in 10 passes for 100 yards and one touchdown across the 11 games he did suit up for. The 25-year-old saw regular usage as Green Bay's third tight end when healthy in 2019, and he could have a shot at an expanded role in 2020 if the team opts to part ways with Jimmy Graham for salary cap reasons. Veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis is also a free agent.

Sweeney, a seventh-round pick out of Boston College, appeared in six games for the Bills in 2019 and caught eight balls on 13 targets for 114 yards and no scores.

Sweeney saw most of his action when the team's other tight ends were hurt, but he also served as a healthy inactive more often than not. He's currently fourth in the pecking order as the Bills gear up for 2020, while the team has already kicked the tires on Greg Olsen. However, teammate Tyler Kroft could get released if the Bills try to free up some cash space. Expect Sweeney to have to earn a roster spot once training camp rolls around.

General manager Andrew Berry suggested Tuesday that the Browns are likely to pick up Njoku's fifth-year contract option for 2021 this spring, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal reports.

It wouldn't actually be much of a commitment, as Njoku's draft position (29th overall) and football position (tight end) both serve to limit the cost of the fifth-year option, which is guaranteed for injury only. Berry said he envisions Njoku as part of the Browns' future, a sentiment echoed by new head coach Kevin Stefanski. It's no secret Njoku clashed with former coach Freddie Kitchens, failing to regain a significant role after he was out for two months with a broken wrist in 2019. The young tight end was promising but inconsistent in 2017 and 2018, often alternating ugly drops and big plays. With Njoku set to turn 24 this summer, the Browns believe he still has time to harness the immense physical gifts he demonstrated at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine -- a 4.64 40-yard-dash time, a 37.5-inch vertical jump and a 133-inch broad jump, all strong numbers for a player measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds.

The Seahawks remain interested in bringing Hollister back for the 2020 season, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

The Seahawks can give Hollister a restricted free agent tender this offseason, which could deter other teams from kicking the tires on the tight end. Given that Hollister entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017, an original-round tender wouldn't require any interested club to send draft pick compensation in order to sign him to an offer sheet, but it would allow the Seahawks to retain the right to match any contract. Of course, a first- or second-round tender would effectively guarantee that Hollister remains in Seattle. The 26-year-old impressed during the final 10 games of the 2019 regular season, catching 41 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns. He'll likely be relegated to a depth role behind Greg Olsen and Will Dissly (Achilles) in 2020, however.

The Giants waived Searight (suspension) on Monday, Paul Schwartz of New York Post reports.

Searight spent the season on the Giants' injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and he was handed a four-game suspension in October for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy. The tight end has yet to play an NFL snap, and he'll aim to carve out a reserve role with another squad.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said Hooper will be allowed to test the open market, Jason Butt of The Athletic reports.

Dimitroff didn't explicitly rule out the possibility of re-signing the tight end, but it seems like a long shot if the team isn't even willing to use a franchise tag for approximately $10.7 million. Hooper should be able to reach that number for his average annual value on a long-term contract, coming off a breakout 2019 campaign with 787 yards in 13 games. The Falcons have a tough cap situation, but there are plenty of other teams with ample space and a need for a pass-catching TE.

Helm did not receive any playing time after being signed late in the 2019 season.

Helm was signed from the practice squad in December following Garrett Celek's placement on IR. The latter has decided to retire, so there is a chance the undrafted rookie sticks with San Francisco if the team liked what they saw in practice during his rookie campaign. Helm wasn't much of a receiving threat at Duke, so his fantasy upside is limited, especially if he remains on the back end of a roster.

Dwelley finished with 15 receptions (22 targets) for 91 yards and two touchdowns in 2019.

Dwelley won the backup tight end job out of training camp, and he was able to find the end zone twice while filling in for starter George Kittle. The latter gets banged up frequently, but also has a high tolerance for pain and has missed the minimum amount of games through is impressive three-year career, leaving scraps for other tight ends on the roster when active. The 49ers have exclusive rights to Dwelley this upcoming offseason, and it would be surprising if they passed up on the 25-year-old after his strong year as a backup.

The Patriots and Jaguars are interested in acquiring Hurst from the Ravens, Eugene Frenette of The Florida Times-Union reports reports.

The 2018 first-round pick reportedly wants an opportunity to catch more passes, after averaging 28.6 offensive snaps and 2.4 targets per game in 2019. He may be underutilized in Baltimore, but Hurst's well-rounded skill set makes him a valuable backup to both Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle in the Ravens' TE-heavy offense. It's a luxury the team can afford for the time being, though an offer of an early draft pick or a starting-caliber defensive player might persuade the Ravens to sacrifice some TE depth for the potential to score a significant upgrade at another position. Jacksonville and New England are obvious fits for any pass-catching tight end that becomes available this offseason.