NFL Player News

Akins has been working out with quarterback Deshaun Watson, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Akins finished up last season with a hamstring injury and missed the Texans' postseason loss to the Chiefs, so his work with Watson means he's well past the injury. He's coming off a second NFL season that was more productive than his first, but the 28-year-old tight end faces a crowded position group in 2020. Darren Fells is still around as the lead tight end while Akins battles it out with Jordan Thomas and Kahale Warring.

Sample (ankle) is healthy and ready to go for 2020, James Rapien of Sports Illustrated reports.

Sample's rookie season with the Bengals was cut short after he suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 10, but prior to that he had accrued just 30 yards on five receptions. The 24-year-old was selected by Cincinnati in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Despite playing a limited role on offense last season, Tyler Eifert's departure for Jacksonville could open up an expanded role in 2020. Sample will presumably compete with C.J. Uzomah for playing time and targets.

Oliver (back) should be healthy for training camp after appearing in only three games as a rookie, John Reid of The Florida Times-Union reports.

The 2019 third-round pick missed the preseason with a hamstring injury and went down with a back issue after returning to the field, as he finished the season with three catches for 15 yards. Tyler Eifert was signed in March and is expected to start in 2020, while Oliver is likely to compete for reps behind him with James O'Shaughnessy (knee) and rookie Tyler Davis.

Goedert is uninjured after being sucker punched at a restaurant in South Dakota on Friday, Mike Kaye of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

The 25-year-old was apparently out to eat with his family when he was punched unprovoked. Goedert made a precautionary trip to the hospital, but he checked out fine and was granted his release. The 2018 second-round pick had 607 receiving yards and five touchdowns last year, and he's poised to work behind Zach Ertz as Philadelphia's secondary tight end again in 2020.

Parkinson underwent surgery June 2 after suffering a broken fifth metatarsal in his foot during an offseason workout, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Per the report, the 2020 fourth-rounder has been in Seattle rehabbing the injury. While a precise timetable for Parkinson's return to action has not been established, it's possible that the tight end will miss time early on this season. The Seahawks also roster Greg Olsen, Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister, so even when he is ready to play, Parkinson doesn't appear to have a clear path to steady targets as a rookie.

Davis signed his rookie contract with the Jaguars on Thursday, John Oehser of the team's official site reports.

Jacksonville has now signed three of the 12 players that comprise the team's 2020 draft class. A rookie sixth-round pick, Johnson only showed limited abilities as a pass catcher in college. He'll face the task of competing for a depth role as a blocker this offseason.

Thomas has a good chance to win Washington's starting job at tight end, according to Kyle Stackpole of the team's official web site.

The Virginia Tech quarterback turned 2014 fourth-round pick has drifted around the NFL as a backup tight end, with last season's 16-173-1 receiving line in Detroit representing a career-best performance. It may not sound like much, but Washington saw enough to give Thomas a two-year, $6.15 million contract, which is the largest commitment to any player in a tight-end room full of journeymen and undrafted youngsters. Coach Ron Rivera compared Thomas to Greg Olsen in terms of athleticism, and while that's likely an exaggeration, the soon-to-be 29-year-old does have a nice opportunity ahead. Competition for snaps consists of Jeremy Sprinkle, Richard Rodgers, Hale Hentges and Thaddeus Moss.

Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said Hockenson has resumed running routes, but the tight end's right ankle may not be 100 percent, Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

Hockenson had a star-crossed rookie season. After reeling off 131 yards and a touchdown on six catches Week 1 against the Cardinals, he surpassed 50 yards just one time in his 11 other appearances, finishing with a 32-367-2 line on 59 targets. Injuries limited him along the way, including a concussion, shoulder issue and ankle concern, the latter of which resulted in his placement on injured reserve Dec. 2. The Lions never confirmed whether Hockenson underwent surgery, but he was seen on a scooter in late December, indicating he had some sort of procedure. Bevell added Hockenson is "well on his way to being there," so he likely will be out there once the Lions reconvene for training camp.

Hill would not be considered the immediate backup in the event Drew Brees were to miss time, Larry Holder of The Athletic reports.

This probably shouldn't be much of a surprise considering Teddy Bridgewater took over during the six weeks Brees was out in 2019, but Hill's $16.3 million offseason extension certainly adds a bit more weight to the 29-year-old's claims to the backup throne. Jameis Winston poses a formidable foe given his starting resume, but ironically Hill's versatility is probably the ultimate detriment considering his ability to impact the team in a number of different ways.

Hurst thanked Matt Ryan for backing him during a virtual interview session with reporters Tuesday, per the tight end's personal Twitter account.

The Falcons' franchise quarterback lauded Hurst, calling him a "mismatch problem" for opponents. Despite the ongoing pandemic, Hurst stated that he has been driving from his home in Jacksonville, FL to Atlanta in order to hold workout sessions with Ryan, and it appears the two have an instant connection. "I've been incredibly impressed with (Hurst's) work ethic," Ryan said Tuesday. "He fits in well with the group of guys we have." Hurst, a 2018 first-round pick who was buried on the depth chart in Baltimore, could be a profitable fantasy acquisition for 2020. Though he hasn't yet delivered on his lofty draft position, Hurst has an enormous opportunity to produce in Atlanta, where Austin Hooper racked up 146 catches and 10 touchdowns between 2018 and 2019 before departing to Cleveland during free agency.