NFL Player News

Wilcox (undisclosed) re-signed with the Bengals on Monday and was subsequently placed on the active/PUP list.

Wilcox has spent the first two seasons of his career in Cincinnati, but he wasn't tendered a contract in March and became an unrestricted free agent. However, he'll now return and likely compete for backup duties behind Irv Smith. It's not clear what injury Wilcox is dealing with, but he'll be eligible to take the field and come off the PUP list once he can pass a physical.

Ogletree (knee) appears to be recovering well, as he was sprinting during a charity softball game Saturday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Ogletree, who tore his ACL during training camp last season, hasn't practiced in offseason OTAs to date. The 2022 sixth-round pick appears to be trending in the right direction and may be able to participate in camp soon. The 24-year-old is expected to compete with Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox for significant playing time this season.

McDonald (undisclosed) will start training camp on the active/NFI list, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

McDonald landed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent this offseason. He is the third rookie tight end on the roster, as Green Bay reloaded at the position with Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft during the draft. He seemingly is a long shot to land on the final 53-man roster, but he is still eligible to practice and play in the preseason at any point.

Forristall (undisclosed) was placed on the active/PUP list Thursday, Terrin Waack of NOLA.com reports.

Forristall joined the Saints on a reserve/future contract in January. He's been in the league since 2021, mostly spending time on the Browns' practice squad. Forristall is very unlikely to make the roster out of training camp, and his current injury issues won't help his cause.

Akins anticipates a role in Cleveland greater than what he had in Houston the previous five seasons, Ashley Bostock of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. "In Houston, I was kind of labeled as a catch-and-run type in the flat," Akins said. "Here I'm more down the field."

Akins signed with the Browns during the offseason, and his history with quarterback Deshaun Watson when the two were Texans teammates was undoubtedly a factor. He wasn't a top target of Watson in Houston, but Akins achieved a level of success with the quarterback, catching 90 of 129 targets for 1,046 yards and three touchdowns in three seasons from 2018 to 2020. The tight end anticipates an expanded route tree in Cleveland and an opportunity to not be so one dimensional as a receiver. He'll compete with Harrison Bryant to back up lead tight end David Njoku.

Mitchell seems like a lock to make the roster, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

There may not be many snaps left for a No. 3 tight end behind Brock Wright and Sam LaPorta, but there could still be room for a couple of extra bodies since Detroit kept four tight ends on the roster last year. A 2022 fifth-round pick, Mitchell seems like the favorite for one of those spots. While he may not offer much as an in-line blocker, Mitchell is a talented receiver who could be a surprising contributor in 2023 if LaPorta ends up being slow to acclimate to the pro level.

Lions tight end coach Steve Heiden said that LaPorta is expected to play a big role in the offense from the start of the season, Tim Twentyman of the team's official site reports.

Detroit's second-round pick has impressed throughout spring practices and minicamp as a do-it-all tight end. While LaPorta will probably have a harder time standing out when the pads come on in training camp this upcoming week, the presence of incumbent starter Brock Wright could at least allow the rookie time to grow into his blocking responsibilities. Since LaPorta may have a shallower learning curve as a receiver, the Iowa product could realistically complement the blocking-proficient Wright from the get-go. However, it is unknown whether LaPorta's role will quickly translate to fantasy-worthy numbers, and it may be a stretch to think he can instantly replicate the 6.1 targets and 56.4 receiving yards per game that T.J. Hockenson was seeing in eight games next to Wright during the first half of the 2022 campaign.

The Jets placed Uzomah (leg) on the PUP list Wednesday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

The tight end suffered an apparent right leg injury last month. As a result, Uzomah won't be allowed to practice once the Jets start training camp, though he can be activated at any time. Once he returns to the field, Uzomah will be in line to reclaim his role in a Jets tight-end corps led by Tyler Conklin.

Kalinic signed with the Rams on Saturday.

Kalinic spent the 2022 campaign with the Colts and bounced between the 53-man roster and practice squad. He suited up for seven games but wasn't targeted, and he'll now attempt to carve out a role with the Rams.

Engram agreed to a three-year, $42.5 million contract with the Jaguars on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Engram sat out the Jaguars' offseason program after being assigned the franchise tag for $11.35 million, but the two sides reached a long-term deal that gives the 2017 first-round pick job security and a hefty raise before Monday's 4:00 p.m. ET deadline. The 28-year-old Engram joined Jacksonville on a one-year contract ahead of the 2022 campaign and finished with 73 receptions for 766 yards -- both career highs. With Calvin Ridley now in town and Travis Etienne fully healthy, Engram's target share might drop a bit, but the tight end is still expected to be a vital part of Jacksonville's passing attack in 2023.