NFL Player News
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Tanner Hudson TE | CIN
Bengals' Tanner Hudson: Upgrades to full practice Thursday
Hudson (concussion) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.
Hudson opened the week as a limited practice participant Wednesday, so his full participation in Thursday's session seems to indicate he is progressing through the league's five-step concussion protocol. He will have to be cleared by an independent neurologist in order to play against the Jets on Sunday. Hudson's return would mean less snaps for Cam Grandy, though it wouldn't have a major impact on the playing time of Noah Fant and Drew Sample.
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Blake Whiteheart TE | CLE
Browns' Blake Whiteheart: Logs full practice Thursday
Whiteheart (shoulder) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Whiteheart's practice snaps weren't capped during Thursday's session, which puts him on track to play against the Patriots on Sunday. The third-year tight end played 35 snaps on offense in Week 7 against the Dolphins, and his snap count could remain elevated for Week 8 if David Njoku (knee) is not cleared to play.
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Juwan Johnson WR | NO
Saints' Juwan Johnson: Remains limited in practice
Johnson (neck) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Though his limited listing represented no change from Wednesday, Johnson may have been cleared to take part in more drills Thursday than he had a day earlier. According to Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana, the tight end was sporting a standard practice jersey during Thursday's session, after he had donned a red non-contact jersey Wednesday. Johnson may need to participate fully in Friday's practice to avoid taking a designation into Sunday's game versus the Buccaneers, but he looks to be on a path to playing this weekend.
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David Njoku TE | CLE
Browns' David Njoku: Limited in practice again
Njoku (knee) was limited in practice Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Njoku has now logged back-to-back limited practices to open Week 8 preparation, with head coach Kevin Stefanski having called the veteran tight end both "day-to-day" and "hopeful" to suit up Sunday on the road against New England. Unless Njoku is able to upgrade full practice activity Friday it sounds as though he'll carry an injury designation into the weekend. He sat out Cleveland's win over the Dolphins in Week 7 due to a knee injury sustained during the team's loss to Pittsburgh in Week 6.
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Mason Taylor TE | NYJ
Jets' Mason Taylor: DNP due to quad Thursday
Taylor (quadriceps) didn't practice Thursday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.
Cimini speculates that Taylor was presumably injured in Wednesday's practice, as Taylor didn't appear on Wednesday's injury report. Taylor's injury adds further uncertainty to a Jets offense that could be without top wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee) and hasn't declared a starting quarterback between Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor (knee) for Sunday's game against the Bengals. If the rookie tight end is unable to play Sunday, Jeremy Ruckert could see additional involvement against a Bengals defense that has allowed the most yards (536) and touchdowns (nine) in the league to tight ends.
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Daniel Bellinger TE | NYG
Giants' Daniel Bellinger: Stays limited Thursday
Bellinger (neck) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Bellinger has been limited in both of the Giants' first two Week 8 practices, so he may need to upgrade to full participation in Friday's session to avoid taking a questionable tag into this Sunday's game in Philadelphia. Though Bellinger has played second fiddle to Theo Johnson throughout the season, the Giants' depleted receiver depth has prompted head coach Brian Daboll to deploy two-tight-end sets more frequently in recent weeks. Bellinger has played more than half of the Giants' offensive snaps in three straight games, recording seven catches for 140 yards and a touchdown on eight targets during that stretch.
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Dalton Kincaid TE | BUF
Bills' Dalton Kincaid: Still limited Thursday
Kincaid (oblique) remained limited at practice Thursday.
Kincaid, who missed the Bills' Week 6 loss to the Falcons after being limited at practice three consecutive days, thus far has been unable to upgrade his participation level as Sunday's game against the Panthers approaches. Unless that happens Friday, he'll presumably carry an injury designation into the weekend. If Kincaid is limited or out versus Carolina, fellow TEs Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes would be in line for added snaps Week 8.
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Cole Kmet TE | CHI
Bears' Cole Kmet: Sits out another practice
Kmet (back) was a non-participant in Thursday's practice.
Kmet didn't take any reps for the second day in a row and may be trending toward missing Sunday's game in Baltimore. Before the Bears decide whether Kmet takes a designation into the weekend or gets ruled out for Sunday's contest, the team will wait and see if he's able to log any on-field work Friday. Rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland would be in line for a hefty snap count at tight end if Kmet is unable to play in Baltimore.
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Julian Hill TE | MIA
Dolphins' Julian Hill: Not at Thursday's practice
Hill (ankle) is not participating in the early portion of Thursday's practice open to the media, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Hill is on track to miss back-to-back practices due to an ankle injury, which makes his availability for Sunday's road matchup against the Falcons uncertain. If Hill is unable to suit up Week 8, the bulk of targets made available to the TE position by Miami's placement of Darren Waller (pectoral) on IR will go to Tanner Conner, as well as recent practice-squad signee Greg Dulcich.
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Cade Stover TE | HOU
Texans' Cade Stover: Nearing return
Stover (foot) is expected back within the next few weeks, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Wilson reports Stover is recovering well from a broken foot and surgery. He's already missed the four-game minimum and can be activated at any time, but it appears the tight end will be out until some point in November at the earliest. Stover's return will bolster the position, which has been impacted by injuries to several of its personnel going back to training camp.