NFL Player News

The Texans waived Lachey on Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Lachey was waived by the Texans last August before signing a reserve/future contract with the team in late January. The tight end will once again be culled to preserve roster spots, as the Texans signed running back Evan Hull in a corresponding move. Lachey will become a free agent if he clears waivers.

Gadsden faces increased competition for snaps and targets in 2026 after free agent David Njoku agreed to a one-year deal with the Chargers on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Gadsden broke out as a rookie fifth-round pick last season, totaling a 49-664-3 receiving line over 15 regular-season games at just 22 years old. While Gadsden remains primed to take a step forward in his development in Year 2, Los Angeles inked blocking specialist Charlie Kolar to a three-year deal at the outset of free agency, and Njoku's arrival now makes for a crowded TE room. Gadsden, a 6-foot-5, 236-pound converted wide receiver, boasts a similar frame and skill set to Njoku, a nine-year veteran and off-the-charts athlete who totaled a career-high 81-882-6 receiving line in 2023 but struggled with injuries over the last two seasons and was overtaken by rookie Harold Fannin with the Browns in 2025. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel relied heavily on multi-TE sets during his four-year stint with the Dolphins, and the Chargers have little proven production at WR behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, so a path exists for both Gadsden and Njoku to operate as top targets for QB Justin Herbert.

Njoku agreed Monday with the Chargers on a one-year deal worth up to $8 million, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

One of the top free agents left on the board, Njoku will continue his career on the West Coast following a nine-year stay in Cleveland. Since submitting a career-best 81-882-6 receiving line in 2023, Njoku has seen his production dip over the past two seasons while missing 11 total games to injury, but he won't turn 30 years old until July and still profiles as an above-average pass-catching talent at tight end. However, after seeing his target counts drop in the second half of the 2025 season while rookie Harold Fannin emerged as a focal point in the Cleveland passing attack, Njoku will face competition for reps from another impressive young tight end in Oronde Gadsden as he moves on to Los Angeles. Njoku will at least benefit from a major upgrade in quarterback play with the Justin Herbert-led Chargers offense, and there could still be room for both Gadsden and Njoku to earn meaningful volume in the passing game in light of the lack of established depth at wide receiver behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.

The Browns waived Cannella on Saturday.

The move corresponds with the Browns signing undrafted free agent Michael Coats. Canella entered the NFL in 2021 but didn't make his regular-season debut until Week 17 of the 2025 campaign with the Browns. He caught two passes (on five targets) for 11 yards across two regular-season games for Cleveland last year and signed a reserve/future contract with the team in January, but the Auburn product will now look for opportunities elsewhere, assuming he clears waivers.

Arkin signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent Friday.

Arkin's best college season was his fifth year at Illinois, when he caught 13 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns across 13 games. He'll have a difficult time securing a spot on the 53-man roster, as the Patriots currently are carrying five tight ends, including Hunter Henry, Julian Hill and rookie third-round pick Eli Raridon.

The Bears signed Large as an undrafted free agent Friday, Larry Mayer of the team's official site reports.

Large played three years at Dordt before transferring to Iowa for his remaining three collegiate seasons. The tight end logged eight starts among his 12 appearances in 2025, gathering eight receptions for 52 receiving yards. The 24-year-old has minimal upside as a pass catcher, but he brings a reputation as a superior run blocker. If his physicality holds up against NFL defenders, Large could carve out a depth role on a Bears team that prioritized a physical run game in 2025.

The Falcons signed Velling as an undrafted free agent Thursday, Tori McElhaney of the team's official site reports.

Velling wrapped his collegiate career with Michigan State in 2025, reeling in 36 of 45 targets for 359 yards and three touchdowns. The tight end possesses a 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame, and he'll look to compete with Charlie Woerner, Joshua Simon and Brandon Frazier for a reserve role on Atlanta's 53-man roster in 2026.

Pitts signed his franchise tender with the Falcons for the 2026 season Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Pitts thus is locked in for the coming campaign at a salary of $15.045 million. After posting 1,026 receiving yards as a rookie first-round pick in 2021, the tight end has fallen short of 1,000 yards in each of his subsequent four seasons, but he bounced back last year with an 88-928-5 line on 118 targets in 17 regular-season games. Pitts' potential signal-callers for 2026 are Michael Penix (knee) and newcomer Tua Tagovailoa, who will be competing for the starting job during the offseason program through the preseason.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday that Kraft (ACL) is "a little bit ahead of schedule" in his recovery from a right ACL tear and that both he and Micah Parsons (ACL) are expected to be "back early in the [regular] season," Andrew Bandstra of Channel 3000 News reports.

Gutekunst previously labeled Kraft ahead of schedule in mid-January, and it appears the tight end's progress has continued on an encouraging track. He noted that Kraft is further along in his rehab than Parsons, which makes sense considering the timing of their respective ACL tears (early Nov. vs. mid-Dec.). Kraft, meanwhile, has stated that he's targeting a Week 1 return. He's entering his age-26 season and the final year of his deal with the Packers, though Gutekunst has confirmed talks regarding an extension are underway. After Green Bay allowed Romeo Doubs to sign elsewhere as a free agent (Patriots) and dealt Dontayvion Wicks in a trade (Eagles), Kraft is facing a clearer path to targets alongside returning wideouts Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden. In eight regular-season games prior to tearing his ACL in 2025, Kraft had emerged as Green Bay's leading receiver with 32 grabs for 489 yards and six scores on 44 targets.

Bell signed with the Steelers on Monday.

The tight end spent time on the practice squads of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in 2025, though he never appeared in a regular-season game. Bell was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2024, catching two passes (on three targets) for 20 yards as a rookie.