NFL Player News

Gray has performed well during offseason workouts and could see a significant amount of playing time both occasionally spelling Travis Kelce and playing in two-tight-end sets, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.

The Chiefs selected Gray in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft with hopes of grooming him as a potential replacement for the 31-year-old Kelce down the road. It appears he's off to a good start in that regard, and he could be in line for a good amount of work as a rookie if he keeps it up. Gray finished out his 2020 season at Duke with 29 catches for 285 yards and a pair of touchdowns over 10 games.

Though Fant remains firmly atop the Broncos' tight end depth chart, it remains to be seen whether Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock will be the team's Week 1 starter at QB, ESPN's Jeff Legwold reports.

In his third season as a pro, Fant is being counted on to be a big part of the Broncos' passing game, regardless of who earns the team's starting signal caller job. The 2019 first-rounder logged 62 catches (on 93 targets) for 673 yards and three TDs in 15 games last season, numbers that the 6-foot-4, 249-pounder will look to eclipse this season in an aerial attack that should be more balanced thanks to the return of Courtland Sutton from a knee injury, which bolsters a wideout corps that also includes 2020 first-rounder Jerry Jeudy, big-bodied Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler, a second-round pick last year.

Coach Matt Rhule pointed out Thomas has had a "great offseason" earlier this month and suggested he still has a chance to lay claim to the Panthers' starting tight end role, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.

Thomas posted a promising rookie season back in 2018 but hasn't really followed it up with much of note in each of the last two, finishing out 2020 with just 20 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers signed Dan Arnold and drafted Tommy Tremble this offseason to shore up the position, but it looks like Thomas will still get a fair shake for the starting job and he's put in work this offseason to keep himself in the conversation. This job battle will likely continue into training camp.

Johnson spent time working at tight end this offseason, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Johnson was mostly asked to block when active on game days during his rookie year. The Saints have since talked about moving him from receiver to tight end, and Johnson practicing at that position during spring workouts all but confirms that notion. At 6-foot-4 and 231 pounds, Johnson will probably need to put on a little weight in order to excel as an in-line blocker, but the second-year Oregon product could potentially carve out a significant role as a pass catcher considering the Saints have little receiving talent at tight end behind Adam Trautman.

Asiasi, who caught just two passes in nine games as a rookie last season, "quietly put together a solid spring," according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com.

That said, the 2020 third-rounder sits no higher than third on the Patriots' tight end depth chart following the team's offseason additions of Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry in free agency. Asiasi thus profiles as a depth option as the coming season approaches and is off the fantasy radar as long as Smith and Henry are available. Also in the team's TE mix behind the top duo are Dalton Keene, Matt LaCosse and Troy Fumagalli.

Conklin drew praise in spring workouts from head coach Mike Zimmer, the team's official website reports. "It's a bigger role for Tyler Conklin [this season]. He's kind of emerged as a guy that's moving upward, and with those two guys (Conklin and Irv Smith), we have a lot of weapons there," said Zimmer.

With the departure of Kyle Rudolph, Conklin looks set to move up the depth chart and be used next to Irv Smith in two-tight end sets. Conklin had 15 receptions for 168 yards and a score over the last four games when Rudolph was out with an injury, supporting the notion he could carve out a role in the passing offense this season. Still, Conklin may be used more as a blocker with Smith likely to command most of the targets to the position.

Coach Pete Carroll singled Everett out as a potential breakout candiate when asked on Thursday, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.

Per Liz Matthews of USA Today, Carroll indicated that Everett has brought some added speed and route-running ability to the position the Seahawks have been lacking. Everett will have to contend with Will Dissly for reps, but he'll likely be the favorite to stay on the field in single-tight-end sets given the team's investment in him this offseason.

Henry turned in a good performance during the Patriots' three-day minicamp, which concluded Wednesday, Mike Dussault of the team's official site reports.

Per the report, Henry, who joined the Patriots as a free agent in March, was "catching everything thrown his way" throughout the team's recent mandatory minicamp. Meanwhile, fellow newcomer Jonnu Smith appeared to tweak a hamstring and was "mostly a spectator," but both players should be available the next time the Patriots practice. By signing each of the duo to lucrative contracts, the team seems destined to employ plenty of multi-TE formations this coming season, a context that should allow both Henry and Smith to carve out fantasy value, though their target distribution figures to vary from week to week.

Smith (hamstring) won't participate in Tuesday's minicamp practice, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

Smith's absence doesn't come as a surprise after he sustained a left hamstring strain in the Patriots' first minicamp session Monday. The Patriots will wrap up their camp Wednesday, so it may be a challenge for Smith to gain clearance for that workout, too. He should be back to full health ahead of training camp in late July, however.

Smith departed Monday's practice early due to an apparent hamstring injury and did not return, Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com reports.

It was Smith's first time on the practice field in front of reporters this offseason, and he dropped a couple of passes prior to his departure. It doesn't sound as though the hamstring issue is believed to be very serious, so he could be back in practice relatively soon. Of course, it's possible the team will take the cautious route and hold him out of the remainder of this week's minicamp, which then would push his return to training camp in July.