NFL Player News

Dulcich (hamstring) returned to full-speed team drills Thursday, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

Dulcich took the final step after going through individual drills on consecutive days earlier in the week. His absence from the first week-plus of training camp isn't ideal, but the third-round pick still has plenty of time to make his case for a role on passing downs. Dulcich reportedly got some work with the first-team offense during offseason practices, potentially setting him up to challenge Albert Okwuegbunam for snaps and targets at tight end. A starting job would be more of a longshot, given that Dulcich is an undersized pass-catching specialist, not to mention a rookie at a position with a steep learning curve.

Ertz was forced out of Thursday's practice with a calf injury, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Until the Cardinals provide an update on the severity of Ertz's calf issue, we'll consider him day-to-day. When healthy, the 31-year-old is the team's clear-cut top pass-catching option in a tight end corps that also includes Trey McBride, Maxx Williams (knee) and Stephen Anderson.

Okweugbunam and fellow tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring) could take on a bit more work in the passing game after Broncos wideout Tim Patrick suffered a season-ending knee injury, NFL.com's Kevin Patra reports.

The Broncos still have solid depth at wide receiver, not to mention their RB duo of Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon, so it's not like Patrick's recent knee tear leaves them hurting for capable playmakers. More relevant for Okwuegbunam is Dulcich's absence from the first week-plus of practice on account of a hamstring injury, thereby reducing the rookie's odds to earn a significant role early in the season. There was chatter earlier this summer about Dulcich making a push for the starting job, and while that may have been misguided or overly optimistic, the rookie does pose some threat to take away snaps in clear passing situations, which would be a major problem for Okwuegbunam's fantasy value. The first week of camp, however, has been a clear win for anyone rooting for an Okweugbunam breakout.

Parham is having a "great" training camp, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

The 6-foot-8 tight end is again making his case for a prominent role, though offseason signing Gerald Everett still figures to get most of the snaps on third downs and other passing situations. While he has six TDs among his 30 catches in two NFL seasons, Parham isn't likely to see enough volume to go with the splash plays unless Everett misses time.

Dillon was waived by the Saints on Wednesday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Dillon spent his first three seasons with the Vikings and has been on both the Saints and Jets roster this offseason. He'll likely have the chance to latch onto a practice squad roster for the 2022 campaign.

Woods has "looked lost at times" during training camp and is "probably coming a long a little slower" than the Colts expected, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reports.

Keefer also notes that 2021 fourth-round pick Kylen Granson has struggled, leaving Mo Alie-Cox as Indy's only reliable tight end at the moment. Alie-Cox is one of the biggest TEs in the league and has already proven himself as a blocker and red-zone target, but he may not have the agility or route-running skills the team desires for obvious passing situations. Even so, Alie-Cox remains the best redraft bet of the bunch, and he may default into a three-down role if the team's young tight ends don't shape up. Woods is a rookie third-round pick who has Cox beat in terms of height (6-foot-7 vs. 6-foot-5) and speed (4.59-second 40-yard dash time vs. 4.75), while the veteran has the benefit of experience and a much sturdier build (listed at 267 pounds, compared to Woods' 253).

Ruckert (foot) was activated from the non-football injury list Wednesday, Ethan Greenberg of the Jets' official site reports.

Ruckert can now practice with the team after missing the start of training camp with a foot injury. The rookie is currently the No. 3 tight end on the Jets' depth chart, behind C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin. Ruckert totaled 54 catches for 615 yards and 12 touchdowns in his time at Ohio State. The Jets' third-round pick in 2022 will now have a chance to prove himself in camp and compete for snaps moving forward.

McKitty (undisclosed) didn't practice Wednesday, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Coach Brandon Staley stated McKitty is dealing with a "soft tissue" injury, adding the tight end is day-to-day. It appears the team is exercising caution with the second-year tight end. McKitty currently finds himself behind both Gerald Everett and Donald Parham in the tight end pecking order, so it's likely he'll face an uphill battle for playing time this season, barring an injury to either of his aforementioned teammates.

Dulcich (hamstring) has made progress this week, going through individual drills back-to-back days, Andrew Mason of 104.3 The Fan Denver reports.

The rookie tight end seemingly is on track to rejoin team drills soon, though head coach Nathaniel Hackett said the Broncos will be careful with him given the nature of hamstring injuries. Dulcich is in the mix for targets at tight end, though Albert Okwuegbunam is the favorite for the starting job and has clear advantages over his new teammate in terms size, speed and experience. Dulcich might be better in the short passing game, however.

Seals-Jones (undisclosed) missed a fifth straight practice Wednesday, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.

No injury has been reported, but that's the most likely explanation for his continued absence. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes that Seals-Jones didn't get much run in spring practices either, after signing with the Giants in March. The team's other candidates for tight-end targets are former Texan Jordan Akins and rookie fourth-round pick Daniel Bellinger.