NFL Player News

Deguara missed Thursday's practice with a calf injury, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

The 2020 third-round pick was already in a tough spot this summer, with the Packers using second- and third-round picks on tight ends in April after getting only 13 receptions out of Deguara last year. Robert Tonyan, now with the Bears, was easily Green Bay's top receiving option at tight end in 2022, pulling in 53 of 67 targets (79.1 percent) but for only 470 yards and two touchdowns. The competition to replace Tonyan might center around rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft more so than Deguara, especially if the third-year pro misses more than a few days this summer.

Schultz (ribs) isn't practicing Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Schultz has been out since Sunday when a rib injury forced him from practice early. Coach DeMeco Ryans didn't make any predictions for a return date but said Monday that he doesn't expect the absence to last long. With fellow tight ends Brevin Jordan (hamstring) and Teagan Quitoriano (undisclosed) also not practicing, the Texans are mostly left with blockers at the position, including veteran journeymen Eric Tomlinson and Nick Vannett.

McBride (undisclosed) didn't practice Wednesday, Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon told Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com on Tuesday that McBride was tending to "nicks and bruises," which are keeping him off the practice field entirely at the moment. Because Zach Ertz (knee) currently resides on the active/PUP list, Noah Togiai and Geoff Swaim are the current healthy tight ends for the Cardinals that have logged some NFL action in their careers.

Hollister agreed to terms with the Raiders on Wednesday.

Hollister had a stint with the Raiders last season that he will now continue after signing. The veteran tight end has played for five teams throughout his six-year career, racking up 83 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns. Expect the 29-year-old to battle for a depth spot in Vegas' tight end room ahead of the coming season.

Vannett is in line to sign with the Texans on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

The veteran tight end will join his sixth team in his career and his third team since the beginning of the 2022 campaign. Vannett is coming off a season during which he played with both the Saints and Giants, recording six catches for 55 yards in nine appearances. He'll most likely serve as more of a blocking and special teams guy for Houston ahead of the coming season.

Daniels signed a contract with the Lions on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Daniels has bounced around between several teams since going undrafted out of Washington in 2017. He last appeared on the Colts' practice squad in 2022 and last suited up for a regular-season NFL contest in 2021 with the Cardinals. He'll now work to earn a spot on the Lions' 53-man roster.

Helm signed a contract with the Lions on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Helm will get a new opportunity after he was waived by the Falcons in May. The Duke product last appeared in an NFL game in 2021 with the Raiders, appearing in nine contests that season and mostly contributing on special teams.

Smith has been held out of practice this week with a minor injury but should return soon, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that "at worst" the tight end would return for joint practices with Miami ahead of the two teams' Aug. 11 preseason opener. The Falcons haven't revealed how they plan on deploying Smith in an offense that also has tight end Kyle Pitts, but Atlanta presumably have a significant role in mind for Smith after acquiring the soon-to-be 28-year-old in a trade with New England this offseason. Granted, a significant real-life role is unlikely to equate to fantasy value, unless maybe Pitts misses a chunk of the season again.

Jordan's early exit from Sunday's practice was due to a hamstring injury, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Jordan and Dalton Schultz (ribs) both left practice Sunday, while Teagan Quitoriano (quadriceps) began training camp on the active/PUP list, leaving the Texans thin at tight end. Soft-tissue injuries have a tendency to linger, so Houston will likely take a cautious approach with Jordan to ensure he's healthy before the Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Ravens.

Mayer stood out while making his fair share of catches during Monday's practice, according to Levi Edwards of the Raiders' official site.

Per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN, Mayer still needs to improve on his blocking, but the 2023 second-rounder's pass-catching ability figures to lead to a role in the Raiders' offense from the get-go this season. With the team having traded Darren Waller to the Giants in March, there are TE snaps and targets available for both Mayer and free-agent addition Austin Hooper. While a timeshare figures to be in play early on, it's quite plausible that the rookie's fantasy utility increases as the campaign progresses.