NFL Player News

The Saints signed Smartt to the practice squad Tuesday.

The Eagles released Smartt on Saturday. The tight end will provide additional depth to the tight ends on the 53-man roster. If rookie third-rounder Oscar Delp (hamstring) is held out of the Saints' Week 1 matchup against the Lions, Smartt could be elevated to the active roster immediately.

The Patriots signed Zylstra to the practice squad Wednesday.

The Bills cut Zylstra last Saturday. The tight end now joins up with the team's main divisional rival in the race for the AFC East title. The 29-year-old has played in 35 career regular-season games with the Lions, catching 18 balls for 136 yards and four touchdowns.

Ferguson did not play in any of the Cowboys' three preseason games.

Ferguson, George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott were all sidelined for the entire preseason, ensuring that they will all be available for Week 1 against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 13. Ferguson is coming offf a career year, finishing the 2025 regular season with 82 catches (on 102 targets) for 600 yards and eight touchdowns across 17 games. Even with Lamb and Pickens both commanding 100-plus targets last year, Ferguson's reliability in the passing game has made him a go-to option for Prescott in the passing game. Ferguson will operate as the Cowboys' top pass-catching tight end this season, with Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker providing depth at the position.

Dulcich did not record a target across his two preseason games.

Dulcich played a total of 15 offensive snaps across those two games before sitting for the Dolphins' preseason finale against the Falcons on Friday. Entering his sixth NFL season, the UCLA product has an opportunity to be a featured part in the Dolphins' offense due to the lack of notable skill position players outside of running back De'Von Achane. The veteran tight end also demonstrated a strong rapport with quarterback Malik Willis in training camp, setting up Dulcich to be a go-to target in the passing game for the upcoming season. Dulcich's most productive season came in his rookie campaign with the Broncos in 2022, when he caught 33 passes (on 55 targets) for 411 yards and two touchdowns across 10 regular-season games.

The Bears signed Ismail to the practice squad Wednesday.

The Bears waived Ismail during Sunday's cut-down day. The tight end cleared waivers and will return to the team's practice squad, where he spent the end of the 2026 season. Ismail has yet to suit up for an NFL regular-season game.

Schultz did not play in any of the Texans' three preseason games.

Schultz, wide receiver Nico Collins and running back David Montgomery were some of the offensive starters that did not participate in preseason games, with quarterback C.J. Stroud seeing minimal action against the Raiders on Aug. 20. Schultz is coming off a productive 2025 regular season, setting a career high with 82 catches, while his 777 yards were his most since the 2021 campaign with the Cowboys (808 yards). Jayden Higgins (knee) will miss the entire 2026 season, and with Tank Dell (knee) opening the season on injured reserve, Schultz and Collins figure to be the go-to targets for Stroud in the passing game.

Baltimore signed Vannett to its practice squad Wednesday, Ryan Mink of the Ravens' official site reports.

The veteran Vannett worked with the Seahawks during training camp, but he missed the cut for their initial 53-man roster, and he'll now begin the season as a practice squadder in Baltimore. Barring an injury to one of the four tight ends on the Ravens' current depth chart, it doesn't seem likely Vannett will see much game action in 2026.

Waller, who signed with the Panthers on Aug. 12, took part in team drills with the first-team offense Wednesday as the coaching staff looks to get him fully incorporated ahead of Week 1, Kassidy Hill of the team's official site reports.

The veteran tight end has the potential to give Bryce Young the best pass-catching option at the position the 2023 first overall pick has had in his career, but Waller is still in the midst of learning head coach Dave Canales' offensive system. Canales had good things to say about Waller's progress Wednesday, saying he'd gotten in plenty of routes versus air and looked fast while doing so. Waller suited up for only nine regular-season games with the Dolphins in 2025 after a year in retirement, but he recorded 24 receptions for 283 yards and six touchdowns on 34 targets in that span.

The Jets waived Curtis (knee) from their injured reserve list with an injury settlement Wednesday, per the NFL's transaction log.

Unless he's claimed by another club during the current waiver period, Curtis is now on track to become a free agent. He signed with the Jets as a rookie undrafted free agent back in May, but his next opportunity may have to come with a different team.

Bowers will open the 2026 season working with Kirk Cousins as his quarterback after the veteran was named the Week 1 starter Wednesday, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.

The star tight end is looking to return to the caliber of production he managed during an outstanding 2024 rookie campaign, when he recorded a 112-1,194-5 line across 17 regular-season games. Bowers endured a lingering knee injury last season that ultimately limited him to 12 games, but the combination of his return to full health and a savvy veteran familiar with head coach Klint Kubiak's system in Cousins sets the stage for a potentially productive start to the 2026 season.