NFL Player News

Kelce (ankle) no longer needs a walking boot and has resumed working out, but he isn't sure when he'll be ready for football activities, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.

Kelce had surgery to address a lingering ankle injury after the Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs. While the procedure reportedly wasn't too serious, the rehab process may keep him off the field through OTAs and June minicamp. There hasn't been any suggestion that the 29-year-old tight end is in danger of missing the start of training camp in late July.

Smith (knee) is still recovering from an MCL sprain and didn't participate in a recent throwing session with teammates, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official website reports.

Marcus Mariota (neck) organized the sessions with wide receivers Corey Davis, Tajae Sharpe, Taywan Taylor, Darius Jennings and Cameron Batson, as well as reserve tight end MyCole Pruitt. The Titans' top options at tight end are both working their way back from season-ending injuries, with Smith coming off an MCL sprain and Delanie Walker rehabbing a broken ankle. It isn't clear if Walker will be available for offseason practices, but the Titans seemingly expect him to retain the starting job in his age-35 season. There's potential for Smith to gain a degree of fantasy relevance if Walker doesn't look like his old self or suffers another injury.

Tonyan signed his tender with the Packers on Monday, according to the NFL's transaction report.

Tonyan will remain in Green Bay after recording four receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown in 16 games last season. He began the season primarily as a special team's contributor but carved out a role on offense as time went on. Look for him to be a depth option behind Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis.

Daniels signed his exclusive rights tender from the Cardinals on Monday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Daniels appeared in 11 games between the Seahawks and Cardinals last season, failing to catch either of his two targets during that stretch. The third-year pro will work to stand out during OTAs and training camp in order to carve out a depth role behind Charles Clay and Ricky Seals-Jones (neck).

Duarte signed a contract with the Panthers on Monday, Bryan Strickland of the team's official site reports.

Duarte played in the AAF for the Arizona Hotshots, logging eight catches (on 12 targets) for 111 yards and two touchdowns over eight games. The 24-year-old was a seventh-round pick by the Dolphins in 2016 and hasn't played in an NFL game since appearing in one contest with Miami during his rookie season.

Engram could benefit from added volume with Odell Beckham no longer a member of the Giants, Ralph Vacchiano of Sportsnet New York reports.

Engram averaged 3.5 catches for 38 yards in the 11 games he played with Beckham in the lineup the past two seasons, compared to 4.7 receptions for 59 yards in 15 games without the superstar wideout. Granted, the Giants seem to be moving toward a run-first offense led by Saquon Barkley and an improved line, plus they signed Golden Tate to handle a good chunk of Beckham's vacated targets. Engram made a strong case for himself at the end of an injury-plagued 2018 campaign, finishing the year with four consecutive games of at least 75 yards. He's a viable candidate to lead the team in 2019 targets, but the same can be said for Barkley, Tate or Sterling Shepard.

Bell is signing with the Chiefs, Brooke Pryor of The Kansas City Star reports.

With Demetrius Harris headed to Cleveland, the Chiefs don't have much experience at tight end behind starter Travis Kelce (ankle). Bell mostly played quarterback at Oklahoma and only has 30 catches in 50 NFL games, but he seems to have found a situation that will allow him to compete for the No. 2 job at tight end -- a role that provided Harris with 371 snaps and 25 targets in 2018. Deon Yelder and David Wells represent the competition, with more help potentially coming from the 2019 NFL Draft.

Schultz figures to share playing time with Jason Witten and Blake Jarwin in 2019, Clarence Hill of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

A 2018 fourth-round pick, Schultz caught 12 passes for 116 yards in 11 games during his rookie season while sharing snaps with Jarwin, Geoff Swaim and Rico Gathers. The Cowboys allowed Swaim to leave for Jacksonville, but the majority of his 512 snaps from 2018 likely will be filled by Witten, who reportedly is ticketed for about 25 plays per game. It will be difficult for any one player to emerge from the committee with fantasy relevance, and Witten would probably be the best bet to do so.

Coach Jon Gruden said Waller has the "chance of a lifetime" with Jared Cook leaving for New Orleans, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Waller won't enter training camp atop the Oakland depth chart, but the guys he's behind -- Lee Smith and Derek Carrier (concussion) -- are noted for blocking far more than pass catching. Waller, on the other hand, is a converted college wide receiver who ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the 2015 combine before Baltimore selected him in the sixth round. He only has 18 receptions in 22 NFL appearances, but raw athleticism and special teams experience should at least get his foot in the door. Of course, it's a good bet the Raiders add to their tight end room during the upcoming draft, potentially as soon as the first round.

Coach Pete Carroll said Dissly is making progress in his recovery from a patella tendon injury but won't return to the field until training camp, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

Dissly had a promising start to his rookie campaign, scoring a touchdown in both Weeks 1 and 2 and finishing with eight catches (on 14 targets) for 156 yards in four games. In that last contest, he suffered the season-ending injury. Considering Carroll's comments, it appears as if Dissly's rehab will keep him sidelined during the offseason program and potentially impact training camp. While Dissly focuses on righting the ship, health-wise, the Seahawks will rely on Nick Vannett and Ed Dickson at tight end, barring an offseason addition at the position.