NFL Player News

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Smith (thumb) is on track to play Week 1 of the regular season.

Smith has been able to do work on the side and may be able to catch in a few more days, O'Connell added. Smith, who missed the entire 2021 season after having surgery to repair a meniscus issue in his right knee, had opened training camp in line to participate fully, but had thumb surgery on Aug. 2.

Hooper caught seven passes Wednesday during Tennessee's joint practice with the Buccaneers, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill talked up the acquisition of Hooper prior to training camp, and the two seem to have quickly forged a connection. Hooper could get off to a hot start to the season, as rookie first-round wideout Treylon Burks (undisclosed) has had an inconsistent ramp up to his rookie campaign, while veteran Robert Woods (knee) is hoping to be fully recovered from a torn ACL in time for Week 1. Even if both Burks and Woods are ready to go for the start of the regular season, Hooper could realistically emerge as the No. 2 or 3 target for Tannehill.

Dafney (knee) reverted to Green Bay's injured reserve on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.

Dafney's status was uncertain for some time, as he briefly returned to practice after reportedly dealing with the injury earlier in camp. However, he was waived/injured Tuesday and went unclaimed. Dafney has four career receptions across 15 games and has contributed significantly on special teams.

Henry was absent from Wednesday's practice with an undisclosed injury, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

Henry went through a limited practice Tuesday before not being spotted at all Wednesday. The team hasn't disclosed an injury, but at this time, Henry's status for a Week 1 matchup against the Dolphins shouldn't be affected.

Andrews isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game versus the Cardinals, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

Like he did before the Ravens' exhibition opener last week, head coach John Harbaugh ruled out any possibility of Andrews, quarterback Lamar Jackson and multiple veterans suiting up, which appears to be the plan for this weekend, too. There's no reason for the team to press its luck with its top pass catcher, especially in the wake of wideout Marquise Brown being moved to Arizona in April. Interestingly enough, Brown will be on the other sideline Sunday, but Andrews won't be among the Baltimore players that take the field.

Ogletree (knee) suffered a torn ACL during Wednesday's practice, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Ogletree's injury was of the non-contact variety, which often is a worrisome sign when it comes to the severity. Indeed, the 2022 sixth-round pick has a confirmed ACL tear following an MRI, very likely ending his rookie campaign. In Ogletree's absence, the tight end competition behind starter Mo Alie-Cox includes second-year pro Kylen Granson and fellow rookie Jelani Woods, among others.

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley called Parham "week-to-week" Wednesday due to the hamstring injury the tight end suffered during practice Aug. 6, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

At the time Parham sustained the injury, Staley noted that the 25-year-old would sit out for roughly one week of practice. Nearly a week and a half later, though, Staley clarified the situation, noting that the Chargers are just being "patient" with Parham, who is being classified as "more week-to-week than day-to-day." Considering those comments, Parham is in line to miss a second straight preseason contest Saturday against the Cowboys, giving him just one opportunity (Aug. 26 in New Orleans) to get in some game action before Week 1.

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that he's hopeful Pitts is headed for a Year 2 leap after spending the offseason working on improving his blocking, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.

Pitts caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards last season, but the majority of his production came when he was lined up off the line as a receiver. Smith believes that unlocking Pitts' full potential will require the tight end to refine his craft as a blocker so that the 6-foot-6 athlete can be moved around the formation to create mismatches. The second-year pro has earned high praise for his offseason work, with Smith even calling Pitts' 10 snaps during the preseason opener "a winning effort" strictly based on his blocking alone. Pitts struggled to produce in the red zone as a rookie, catching just one touchdown, so his increased prowess in the trenches may be a good sign for his overall fantasy outlook in 2022.

Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Wednesday that McBride (back) will play in Sunday's preseason game against the Ravens, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

McBride sat out the preseason opener due to lingering back soreness, but he appears ready for his first NFL game action. The rookie second-round pick was a standout receiver at Colorado State but will presumably be the No. 3 tight end on the Cardinals depth chart if Zach Ertz (calf) and Maxx Williams (knee) are healthy Week 1.

Ogletree left Wednesday's practice with a knee injury and will undergo an MRI, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Per Erickson, Ogletree went down on a non-contact play, and Colts head coach Frank Reich said "it didn't look good." Ogletree has reportedly had a strong camp, but this is obviously a concerning development for the rookie sixth-round pick.