NFL Player News

Akins is slated to visit the Browns, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Akins is coming off a 2022 campaign with the Texans in which he tied his career high in catches (37), while recording season bests in receiving yards (495) and TDs (five). If the 2018 third-rounder signs with the Browns, he'll add depth to a Cleveland tight end corps led by returnees David Njoku and Harrison Bryant.

Kmet could lose some snaps after the Bears added Robert Tonyan in free agency Thursday, Adam Jahns of The Athletic reports.

Kmet played at least 91 percent of the snaps in 14 games last year. Although that percentage may not dip much, Tonyan is familiar with the Bears offense from his days in Green Bay, when Chicago's offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was his coach. Kmet should retain close to a full snap share, but with Tonyan having caught at least 52 passes in two of the last three seasons, Kmet could lose occasional targets. However, this move should not have much impact on Kmet's fantasy value.

Gesicki agreed Friday with the Patriots on a one-year contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Gesicki remains in the AFC East, moving on after five seasons with the Dolphins to sign with a division rival. The athletic tight end took a back seat to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in 2022, with just a 32-362-5 receiving line through 17 regular-season appearances, but he logged two straight seasons with 700-plus receiving yards from 2020-21. Now in New England, Gesicki is set to form a tight end tandem with Hunter Henry, a superior blocker and capable pass catcher in his own right. Gesicki, however, boasts deep-threat and YAC abilities unique to the Patriots' tight end room, giving him the potential to emerge as an interesting fantasy option if he can establish a successful rapport with Mac Jones this offseason.

Tonyan agreed Thursday with the Bears on a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Tonyan, who logged a career-high 53 catches (on 67 targets) for 470 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games with the Packers last season, adds quality depth to a Chicago tight end corps that also includes returning starter Cole Kmet. The duo will provide QB Justin Fields with a pair of solid pass catchers at the position, but the prospect of a timeshare with Kmet caps Tonyan's fantasy upside ahead of the coming season.

Thomas agreed to a restructured contract with the Panthers on Thursday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

Thomas signed a three-year extension in the 2022 offseason, and his reworked deal will help Carolina's cap flexibility. He's expected to occupy a backup role after the Panthers signed fellow tight end Hayden Hurst to a three-year contract Wednesday.

The Packers re-signed Davis on Wednesday, the team announced.

The 25-year-old has appeared in 31 games for the Packers over the last two seasons, catching eight passes for 61 yards while seeing heavy snaps on special teams. Perhaps he'll be given more of an offensive look with Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis free agents this offseason.

The Dolphins agreed to terms with Saubert on a one-year contract Wednesday, NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reports.

The 28-year-old is a career blocking specialist with 33 catches across 74 games. He had 15 grabs for 148 yards and one touchdown with the Broncos last season. Saubert is highly unlikely to become relevant in fantasy.

Hurst agreed Wednesday with the Panthers on a three-year contract, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Hurst proved to be a competent starter while with Cincinnati on a one-year deal in 2022, logging a 52-414-2 receiving line on 68 targets over 13 regular-season appearances. He now gets a chance to lead Carolina's tight end room, which also features complementary options Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble. All signs point to the Panthers grabbing a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft, and the presence of a reliable tight end like Hurst should be helpful in developing whichever young signal-caller Carolina taps to direct the offense.

The Giants remain high on Bellinger, who will be able to develop "at a more normal pace" after the team traded for Darren Waller on Tuesday, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports.

After being taken in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Bellinger quickly worked his way up to being New York's starting tight end. Though he performed admirably in the role, finishing the campaign with 30 catches for 268 yards and two receiving touchdowns (and adding a touchdown on his only rush attempt) over 11 games, the Giants traded for Waller to help perk up their passing game soon after handing out a four-year contract to quarterback Daniel Jones. Waller's arrival will almost certainly mean fewer opportunities for Bellinger, but Dunleavy notes that the organization hasn't lost any faith in Bellinger's ability. That said, from a fantasy perspective, Bellinger isn't likely to make much of an impact as long as Waller is healthy.

Fortson, an exclusive-rights free agent, was tendered by Kansas City on Tuesday, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.

He split his 356 snaps almost equally between offense and special teams last year. As the No. 3 tight end behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, there weren't many looks left over for Fortson, resulting in 14 catches on 18 targets over the last two seasons, although he did score four TDs. He should continue to fill a similar role in 2023.