NFL Player News

Waller (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation for Saturday's playoff game against the Bengals after being listed as a limited practice participant this week, Rachel Gossen of the Raiders' official site reports.

In his first game action since Week 12, Waller logged 62 of a possible 80 snaps on offense in this past Sunday's 35-32 overtime win over the Chargers en route to recording two receptions on nine targets for 22 yards. Now that he's further removed from his extended layoff, look for the star tight end to continue to see his share of targets this weekend, with improved efficiency a reasonable expectation for Waller, who finished the regular season with a 55-665-2 line on 93 targets in 11 contests.

Smythe secured 34 of 41 targets for 357 yards across 17 games in 2021. He also had two carries for three yards.

Smythe put together the best statistical season of his career at an opportune juncture, as both he and Mike Gesicki are scheduled for free agency this offseason. As a solid blocker and a capable, if unspectacular, receiver, Smythe shouldn't have much difficulty drumming up interest if he does hit the open market.

Bates finished his 2021 rookie campaign with 20 catches for 249 yards and a touchdown on 25 targets, starting eight of 17 games.

The fourth-round pick never missed a game, but it wasn't until Week 10 that he saw more than 17 snaps or one target in a contest. From that point on, he played over half of Washington's snaps in each game, averaging 2.0 catches for 26.4 yards on 2.6 targets over the final nine games of the season. Bates may fall back to a reserve role in his second year, however, as Logan Thomas' season-ending ACL injury was a big factor in the rookie taking so many snaps. That could leave Bates as Washington's No. 1 TE for the offseason program, if nothing else, depending on the team's transactions this spring. Plus, the timing and severity of Thomas' injury mean he's no lock to be ready for Week 1 of 2022.

Swaim recorded one reception on one target for two yards in Sunday's 28-25 win over the Texans.

Swaim continued to make minimal impact on the Titans' offense, as he failed to surpass 10 receiving yards for the fourth consecutive game. While he recorded at least three receptions in seven of his 16 contests, he still managed only 210 yards on 31 catches for the campaign. Meanwhile, the recent re-emergence of Anthony Firkser likely means that Swaim will only take a further step back during the Titans' playoff run. Once the season concludes, Swaim will be a free agent, though he could be a fit to return to Tennessee on a short contract.

The Jets signed Cager to a reserve/futures contract Wednesday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Cager spent the 2021 season on and off of the Browns' practice squad before signing a new contract with the Jets for the 2022 campaign. The wide receiver will return to the team he was with in 2020, a year in which he appeared in two games and made two catches for 35 yards.

Manhertz played 30 of 68 offensive snaps during Sunday's 26-11 win over the Colts and didn't draw a target.

Jacob Hollister and Luke Farrell both saw a bit more playing time, but Hollister was the only Jaguars tight end to be a factor in the passing game with three catches for 14 yards. Manhertz, who joined Jacksonville on a two-year, $6.65 million deal in March, suited up in all 17 games but finished with just six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. If the 29-year-old opens the 2022 season on the roster, he'll continue to serve mainly as a blocker.

Waller (knee) is listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice report, with the Raiders holding a walk-through session for the second straight day as they prepare for Saturday's wild-card game in Cincinnati.

Waller returned from a five-game absence for the Raiders' overtime win over the Chargers in Week 18, catching two of nine targets for 22 yards in the 35-32 victory. He wasn't at his best in his first game back, but he played close to his normal allotment of snaps (78 percent). Though he and the Raiders will face a quicker turnaround than usual for Saturday's postseason opener, Waller had a big game earlier this season against the Bengals back in Week 11, when he produced a 7-116-0 receiving line in a 31-13 loss.

The Lions signed Sokol to a reserve/future contract Wednesday.

Sokol was waived by the Chargers in late August and will now attempt to carve out a role with Detroit to begin the offseason. He appeared in two games with the Chargers in 2020 but didn't see any targets.

Hesse played 11 offensive snaps but didn't record any counting stats during Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Saints.

Hesse out-snapped fellow backup tight end Lee Smith eleven to four, but neither were a factor in the passing game. Hesse finished the 2021 campaign with five catches (six targets) for 43 yards across eight appearances. However, the majority of that production -- three catches for 31 yards -- came in Week 17, when he was filling in for Hayden Hurst -- who was out due to COVID-19 protocols. Hesse is under contract for the 2022 season, while Smith and Hurst are not, so if the Falcons don't add any tight ends during the offseason, Hesse could head into next season as the primary backup to Kyle Pitts.

Uzomah (knee/hip) didn't record a single snap in Sunday's 21-16 loss to the Browns.

Listed as questionable heading into the Week 18 matchup, Uzomah avoided the inactive list but ultimately didn't sit out. The pair of injuries likely weren't at the root of his absence; instead, the Bengals were likely just holding their top tight end as a precautionary measure in advance of the postseason, as was the case for several other key players on offense. Uzomah, who finished the regular season with 49 catches for 493 yards and five touchdowns, should be ready to reclaim a full-time role on offense in Saturday's wild-card matchup with the Raiders.