NFL Player News

Bryant caught two of two targets for 20 yards in a 28-14 loss to the Steelers in Week 18.

Bryant finished the season with career highs in catches (31), targets (42) and yards (239) along with one touchdown. An increase in production was expected after the Browns didn't bring Austin Hooper back, although Bryant was clearly second in the pecking order behind David Njoku, who lived up to the four-year deal he signed during the offseason. Cleveland's down season was not the fault of its receivers, so expect Bryant, who will be entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2023, to return in the same role.

Carolina signed Ricci to a new contract Monday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

Ricci will now avoid becoming an exclusive-rights free agent heading into this coming offseason. The 26-year-old fullback served as a core special-teamer for the second season in a row in 2022, though he also added the first eight receptions of his career for 100 yards over 15 games. Ricci should will likely enter the 2023 regular season as the clear front-runner for the Panthers' starting fullback job.

The Panthers re-signed Sullivan to a new contract Monday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

Sullivan was set to enter the 2023 offseason as an exclusive-rights free agent. While the specifics of this new contract have not been divulged, the 26-year-old will now be back for at least one more season with the team. Sullivan accumulated two receptions (on six targets) for 46 yards and a touchdown while playing 121 of 297 snaps on offense over 14 games this season. He figures to reprise a role as the Panthers' No. 3 tight end behind Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble in 2023.

The Cardinals signed Seikovits to a reserve/future contract Monday, Howard Balzer of GoPHNX.com reports.

Seikovits will stick around in Arizona after spending the entirety of the 2022 season on the team's practice squad. The 25-year-old has now received a reserve/futures contract from the Cardinals for the second time in as many years, and he'll look to make his NFL debut heading into the 2023 campaign.

Holtz reverted to the Saints' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.

Holtz was elevated for the first time since signing with the Saints' practice squad Nov. 23. However, he was ultimately ruled inactive pregame, as top tight end Juwan Johnson (quadriceps) was deemed available in his usual starting role. Holtz did not record a target over six games with New Orleans this season, and he has logged just one target since the 2019 campaign.

Sokol reverted to the Patriots' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.

Sokol was brought up for Sunday's regular-season finale loss to Buffalo with No. 2 tight end Jonnu Smith (concussion) inactive for the second time in as many weeks. However, the practice-squad tight end went without a target for the third game in a row this season, as he played just six offensive snaps behind Hunter Henry, the latter of whom played all 68 offensive snaps. Sokol will now enter the offseason still in search of the first reception of his career.

Conklin caught two of four targets for 13 yards in Sunday's 11-6 loss to the Dolphins. He had 58 catches on 87 targets for 552 yards and three touchdowns in 2022.

An offseason move from Minnesota to New York had a minimal impact on Conklin's stats, as he posted a near carbon copy of his 2021 campaign with the Vikings. In the first season of his three-year contract with the Jets, he had the same number of targets and touchdowns while totaling three fewer catches and 41 fewer yards than his final year in Minnesota. The 27-year-old tight end finished second on the team behind rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson in receiving yards, albeit with half of Wilson's total.

Otton secured his only target for five yards in the Buccaneers' 30-17 loss to the Falcons on Sunday.

The rookie tight end saw just 19 snaps from scrimmage as head coach Todd Bowles limited the play of his starters. Otton recorded multiple receptions in 11 of his last 13 regular-season games, but he'll head into next Monday night's wild-card matchup against the Cowboys not having topped 28 receiving yards since Week 10.

The Falcons signed Fisk to a reserve/future contract Monday.

Fisk will stick with Atlanta after being let go from the team's practice squad Dec. 27. The undrafted tight end out of Stanford spent the entire 2022 campaign on the Falcons' practice squad, and he'll now look to make his NFL debut heading into next season.

Gesicki secured four of six targets for 46 yards during Sunday's 11-6 win over the Jets.

Gesicki recorded more receiving yardage Week 18 than his last six games combined, showing some sparks with third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson under center. The Dolphins realistically could have either Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) or Teddy Bridgewater (finger) back under center for the upcoming wild-card matchup against the Bills, so it remains to be seen whether Gesicki's trend of more noticeable involvement will continue.