NFL Player News

With Gary Barnidge being released shortly after Njoku's arrival, the door is open for Njoku to start right away in 2017.

Njoku joins Seth DeValve, Randall Telfer as the team's only tight ends on the roster and immediately becomes the favorite to dominate snaps in 2017. DeValve caught 10 passes for 127 yards and two scores in 2016, while Telfer finished the year with just two receptions. Those lackluster performances, along with a down year from Barnidge, convinced the Browns to upgrade the position, which they absolutely did with Njoku.

The Falcons selected Saubert in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 174th overall.

Saubert, a small school product out of Drake, has some intriguing traits that should translate to the NFL. He checks in at 6-foot-5 with big hands and he posted a strong 121-inch broad jump at the Combine. Like any small school player, there will be a learning curve for Saubert, but he has reliable hands and the frame to hold up in the NFL.

The 49ers selected Kittle in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 146th overall.

This is a great value for the 49ers. Kittle doesn't get much hype -- he's widely regarded as a blocking tight end -- but he's an elite athlete at the position. Indeed, Kittle even has standout athleticism by wide receiver standards. At 6-foot-4, 247 pounds, Kittle boasts 4.52 speed and a 132-inch broad jump. Vance McDonald is the lead tight end in San Francisco, but Kittle could pay off as a dynasty investment in a couple years.

The Titans selected Smith in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 100th overall.

Another nice pick for Tennessee, and also yet another pick that significantly empowers Marcus Mariota. Smith (6-foot-3, 248 pounds) is arguably a better pass-catching prospect than Gerald Everett, who the Rams picked in the second round. Smith was highly productive at Florida International, especially in his first two years, when he caught 100 passes for 1,098 yards and 10 touchdowns before even turning 20 years old. He was also great at the Combine, running a 4.62-second 40 while posting a 38-inch vertical and 127-inch broad jump. He's the heir apparent to Delanie Walker.

The Browns selected Njoku in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 29th overall.

After taking Myles Garrett at No. 1 and Jabrill Peppers at No. 25, the Browns land Njoku (6-foot-4, 246 pounds) with a third first-round pick -- one they obtained by moving up from the 33rd overall pick. Njoku is a former high-jumping standout with springs in his shoes and a big catch radius, giving him the ideal profile of a red-zone threat at the very least. But with 4.64 speed and good agility, he also profiles as a playmaker between the 20s. He might need a year or two to acclimate to the NFL given that he won't turn 21 until July, but the raw materials are here for an eventual fantasy standout.

The Giants selected Engram in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 23rd overall.

Tight end was a need for the Giants, and they get one here who can really run. Engram is small for a tight end at 6-foot-3, 234 pounds, but you can get over it when you note his 4.42-second 40-yard dash, 36-inch vertical, 125-inch broad jump and 6.92-second three-cone. Indeed, even if you compare his athletic metrics to wide receivers, Engram grades among the absolute best at that position. Brandon Marshall's addition to the Giants means there are likely fewer tight end targets up for grabs this year, but Engram can't be ruled out as a 2017 impact player if he can displace Will Tye. An impact in 2018 and beyond is generally the better bet for a rookie tight end, however.

Hamm (leg) didn't participate in Wednesday's minicamp practice, CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reports.

Hamm is presumably still recovering from the leg injury he sustained in pregame warmups during the 49ers' 2016 season finale. It isn't clear when he'll be able to take the field again, but with training camp still a long ways off, Hamm has plenty of time to recuperate.

Bell (head) didn't participate in Wednesday's minicamp practice due to a forehead laceration, CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reports.

The injury sounds very minor in nature, so it doesn't figure to delay Bell much in his offseason preparation. Barring any additions at tight end during the 2017 NFL Draft, Bell will enter the summer as the 49ers' No. 4 tight end behind Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek and Logan Paulsen.

Thomas hopes to stick with the Bills as a tight end, Anthony Sambrotto of the team's official website reports.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft as a quarterback, Thomas spent most of last season learning to play tight end as a member of Detroit's practice squad. The Bills signed him in late November and made him a healthy scratch the rest of the season, seemingly hoping to further develop him as a tight end this offseason. While he's likely still raw and will presumably have to fight for a roster spot, Thomas possesses a combination of size (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) and speed (4.6 40-yard dash), which compares favorably to that of the league's top tight ends.

Gathers thinks he's ready to be a regular part of the Cowboys' roster in 2017, Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram reports. "Honestly, I feel like this year I'm ready to be on the 53-man, ready to score some touchdowns, ready to go make some plays," the tight end said Saturday.

Drafted in the sixth round last year as a highly athletic former basketball player attempting to make the conversion to football, Gathers spent the entire campaign on the Cowboys' practice squad. He should get plenty of reps during the team's voluntary offseason program, which begins Monday, following the departure of Gavin Escobar via free agency and Geoff Swaim's recent foot surgery, but it remains to be seen whether Gathers' skills have caught up to his physical tools. Even if he has made significant progress, though, Dallas could yet add more competition to the depth chart in the draft, as this year's class of prospects is considered very deep at tight end.