NFL Player News

Firkser signed a contract with the Patriots on Thursday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Firkser appeared in 11 games for the Falcons last season after spending the first four years of his career with the Titans. The 28-year-old finished his 2022 campaign with nine catches on 13 targets for 100 yards. With the Patriots, Firkser will seek to secure a depth tight end role behind the team's top two options at the position, Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.

Rogers was diagnosed Wednesday with a torn Achilles' tendon is slated to undergo surgery next week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Per Rapoport, an MRI confirmed that Rogers suffered damage to his Achilles during Tuesday's OTA practice.The 25-year-old tight end, who caught five balls on six targets for 64 yards in 11 games last season, was expected to compete for a depth spot in a position group that also includes Logan Thomas, John Bates, Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges. While Rogers is expected to make a full recovery from his upcoming surgery, he'll likely miss the entire 2023 season.

Rogers suffered a non-contact Achilles injury during Tuesday's OTA practice, Pete Hailey of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Rogers will presumably be sent in for an MRI before the Commanders provided an updated diagnosis as well as a timeline for the tight end's return to the field. The 25-year-old played in 11 games for the Commanders last season, recording five catches on six targets for 64 yards.

Smith (knee) agreed to a contract with the Colts on Wednesday, Nate Atkins of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Smith was out of football for the 2022 season after the Giants waived him last March with a failed physical designation. Now presumably fully healed from the knee injury he suffered in 2021, the 26-year-old will work to secure a spot on the Colts' Week 1 roster as a depth tight end.

Moreau (illness) participated in Tuesday's practice, Ross Jackson of Saints News Network reports.

The veteran tight end was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma earlier in the offseason but is already a full participant at practice, per Jackson, running routes and catching passes at Tuesday's session. Moreau should be a fixture in New Orleans' offense after inking a three-year, $12.234 million deal to compete with Juwan Johnson for No. 1 tight end duties. Moreau already has familiarity with new Saints QB Derek Carr from their time together with the Raiders.

Goedert has been spending more time with the Eagles wide receivers this spring to work on his routes and releases, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports reports.

The tight end said he started spending more time with the WRs last season and has continued with it during/after spring workouts. Goedert caught 79.7 percent of his targets last year and had career highs for catches and yards per game -- 4.6 for 58.5 -- but he missed five straight weeks with a shoulder injury and finished at 55/702/3, down from 56/830/4 in 15 games the year before. He could have a career year in 2023 without a significant increase in target share if the Philadelphia offense remains elite and Goedert simply has better luck with TDs and/or injuries. He remains the third option in the passing game, behind WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and potentially facing a bit more competition for short passes following the trade for RB D'Andre Swift.

Coach Frank Reich said Monday that Hurst (sports hernia) is recovering from a procedure and progressing well, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Hurst is absent from the start of Carolina's voluntary offseason workouts due to his rehab. While Reich didn't offer an exact timeframe for his expected return, it doesn't seem as though Hurst is in danger of missing significant time. The veteran tight end signed a three-year contract with the Panthers this offseason, putting him in prime position to act as one of the top pass catchers for No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and Andy Dalton once Hurst is healthy.

Granson isn't a lock for the Week 1 roster, according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic.

Granson led the Indianapolis tight ends with 32 catches last year, but Mo Alie-Cox took more snaps and Jelani Woods had more yards (312-302) and touchdowns (3-0) on the same number of targets (40). While the team didn't make any high-profile additions to the TE room this offseason, there's more competition for jobs with veteran Pharaoh Brown and fifth-round pick Will Mallory joining the mix. Mallory could challenge Granson for playing time in passing situations, as both are small for the position and are mostly valued for receiving skills/potential. Granson has caught 76.4 percent of his 55 targets since the Colts made him a fourth-round pick in 2021, but he's averaged only 9.7 yards per catch and is still searching for his first NFL touchdown.

Tomlinson was released by the Texans on Thursday, Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Tomlinson signed a deal with Houston on May 3 after spending the 2022 campaign in Denver, but it appears his time with the Texans will be cut short. The 31-year-old logged nine receptions on 13 targets for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Broncos in 2022 in 17 contests. He'll now look to catch on elsewhere as a depth tight end.

Mack signed a contract with the Titans on Thursday, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Mack missed last season after being cut from injured reserve by the Packers after suffering an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old has bounced around the league since being selected in the seventh round of the 2019 Draft by the Saints, but he has yet to play in a regular season game. He'll work to finally make that happen with the Titans in 2023.