NFL Player News

Schoonmaker (foot) will get more work in practice Thursday, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Schoonmaker continues to ramp up his activity as he recovers from a partial tear of his plantar fascia, which he suffered earlier in the summer. The Michigan product had his first practice with the team Monday following his activation from the non-football injury list, and he will likely see his participation level increase as the preseason proceeds, as long as he can stay healthy. The 24-year-old is expected to compete with Peyton Hendershot and Jake Ferguson for tight-end snaps this season.

Kittle (adductor strain) didn't practice Thursday, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Per Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News, Kittle is expected to be out for about a week, so it looks safe to assume that the 49ers' star tight end won't be available for Sunday's preseason opener against the Raiders. With that in mind, Kittle's next chance to suit up for game action will arrive Saturday, Aug. 19, when San Francisco faces Denver.

Smith (undisclosed) participated in team drills during Wednesday's practice, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Smith, who had missed time with an unspecified issue, returned to the field Tuesday, per McElhaney, and his increased participation Wednesday has the tight end on track to be able to continue to carve out a complementary role behind top option Kyle Pitts. As long as Pitts is available, Smith may not see steady targets in Atlanta's offense, but the 2017 third-rounder could be a viable streaming option in the event that Pitts misses any time this coming season.

Akins returned to practice earlier this week after missing time with a knee injury, Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com reports.

Akins missed about a week while recovering from the injury, but he's been back at practice since at least Monday. The 31-year-old is working to earn a spot as the top backup to No. 1 tight end David Njoku.

Pitts (knee) didn't participate in the team portions of Wednesday's practice, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The Falcons have been easing Pitts back into the mix as he bounces back from an MCL injury, but coach Arthur Smith noted Wednesday that the team plans to "put a little more on (the tight end) as we ramp him up," adding "we'll push him a little more next week." With that in mind, it doesn't seem likely that Pitts will see action in Friday's preseason opener against the Dolphins, but the 2021 first-rounder continues to progress and is on track to be a key part of Atlanta's offense come Week 1.

Dulcich was listed as the No. 2 tight end on the Broncos' unofficial depth chart Wednesday, Henry Chisholm of TheDNVR.com reports.

Dulcich slotting in as the No. 2 tight end should come as a surprise, as many assumed that he earned the No. 1 spot based on his playmaking ability as a pass catcher. Instead, teammate Adam Trautman was listed as the starter. While addressing the media following the release of the first unofficial depth chart, head coach Sean Payton said, "the one thing that is interesting about this tight end group is that there are some clear roles that you can see. Strengths and weaknesses that these players have." Payton praised Trautman for his versatility as a blocker and a pass catcher. Trautman's ability as a blocker is likely what earned him his depth chart standing, as Dulcich isn't known for blocking. Instead, the 23-year-old shined as a pass catcher in 2022 and proved that he had the ability to stretch the field with six gains of 20-plus yards and three of 30-plus as a rookie. Though Dulcich may see fewer inline tight end snaps than Trautman, he will likely be used as the primary pass-catching tight end in Payton's offensive scheme. For this reason, Dulcich should remain the most fantasy-friendly option of the two.

Trautman was listed as the starting tight end on the Broncos' unofficial depth chart Wednesday, Henry Chisholm of TheDNVR.com reports.

Trautman being listed as the Broncos' starting tight end should come as a surprise, as many assumed Greg Dulcich would earn top billing based on his impressive performance as a pass catcher in his rookie season. Nonetheless, Trautman sits atop the depth chart despite what he lacks in skills as a dynamic playmaker. It's the veteran's versatility that may have earned him the No. 1 tight end spot on the depth chart. Addressing the tight end pecking order, head coach Sean Payton said, "Adam is the one guy out here who does a good, solid job at blocking and he gives you some flexibility with the route tree." Though Trautman is listed as the starter, there is a good chance that he doesn't see the most snaps of any tight end in Denver. However, the 26-year-old could see more inline tight end snaps than Dulcich based on his prowess as a blocker.

Seals-Jones agreed to a contract with the Colts on Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The tight end had been a free agent since landing on the Giants' injured reserve list before being released on an injury settlement ahead of the 2022 season. Seals-Jones caught 90 passes for 1,044 yards and 10 touchdowns in five previous NFL campaigns, but he's fighting just to stick on an NFL roster at this stage of his career. The 28-year-old will battle for a depth role as training camp continues.

Deguara (calf) returned to practice Wednesday but isn't participating in team drills, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

Deguara is likely considered limited at Wednesday's practice after missing roughly a week of camp due to a calf injury. His status for Friday's preseason opener against the Bengals still appears uncertain, but it's nonetheless positive to see Deguara back on the field in some capacity. Following the offseason departure of Robert Tonyan, Deguara is primarily competing with rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft (knee) for snaps at tight end.

The Saints signed Holtz on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Holtz had a workout with the team Monday and impressed enough to walk away with a contract. The 29-year-old played in six games with New Orleans last season and saw 86 snaps on offense but didn't record any stats. Holtz will work to make the team's initial 53-man roster, but he may have an uphill battle among a crowded tight-end room.