NFL Player News

Hockenson has made a strong first impression during the opening days of training camp, Michael Rothstein of ESPN reports.

Hockenson reportedly drew a standing ovation from the crowd after a practice in which he made numerous eyebrow-raising catches in traffic. While we need to keep in mind that the pads have yet to come on, Hockenson has been drawing these kinds of reviews since he came to Detroit and he seems to be on track for a significant role in the Lions passing game. His primary competition for snaps, Jesse James, is reportedly being positioned as the team's primary blocking tight end.

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has high hopes for Njoku in 2019, Steve Doerschuk of The Canton Repository reports. "The sky is the limit for [Njoku]," said Mayfield. "He hasn't had a lot of coaching and hasn't been playing that long. You can see how athletic he is, how talented."

There's no shortage of target competition in Cleveland, but the wealth of talent should also create more touchdowns to go around compared to Njoku's first two seasons in the league. The 2017 first-round pick took a step forward in terms of efficiency after the team fired Hue Jackson and Todd Haley last season, catching 25 of 37 targets for 342 yards (9.2) and two touchdowns over the final eight games. Njoku had fewer yards (297) on more targets (51) in his first eight games, though part of the problem was a slow start with Tyrod Taylor under center. It doesn't hurt that the 23-year-old tight end appears to be on Mayfield's good side already.

Smith (knee) ran routes Friday on a separate field with trainers, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Smith opens training camp on the PUP list, wearing a brace to help stabilize his knee. The season-ending injury he suffered last year was reported as an MCL sprain, but the lengthy recovery hints at a more serious issue, or else some type of setback in the rehab process. Either way, a recent report suggested Smith should be ready for practice at some point in August, giving him a chance to be ready for Week 1. Fellow tight end Delanie Walker (ankle) is practicing without restriction.

Knox took every snap but one with the first-team offense during Thursday's opening day of training camp, Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News reports.

Starter Tyler Kroft remains out with a broken foot and is a true question mark for Week 1 of the regular season, so for now Knox -- a rookie third-rounder from Ole Miss -- looks like the best healthy fantasy option. We'll see if he can hold off Jason Croom and fellow rookie Tommy Sweeney, all while keeping an eye on Kroft's health. Dawson has good size at 6-foot-4, 254 and Josh Allen has been raving about his football smarts, though keep in mind he's a rookie in an offense with several more experienced options, and surprisingly never caught a TD reception in college.

Dissly (kneecap) went through some individual drills Thursday, including running routes, Stacy Jo Rost of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Dissly likely will be eased into practice over the next few weeks, working his way back from the patella tendon injury that ended his rookie season after four games. He has a nice opportunity to serve as Seattle's top pass catcher at tight end, after Nick Vannett and Ed Dickson failed to make an impression last year.

Engram (hamstring) is healthy for the start of training camp, John Schmeelk of Giants.com reports.

Engram dealt with a minor hamstring injury during the offseason program but never appeared to be in serious danger of missing training camp. He's locked in as one of Eli Manning's favorite targets, albeit in an offense that also has Saquon Barkley, Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard as useful weapons on short passes.

Niklas signed a contract with the Buccaneers on Wednesday, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.

Niklas did not stick to an NFL roster during the 2018 campaign but played a depth role in Arizona from 2014 to 2017. Across those four seasons, he appeared in 41 games, recording 19 catches for 203 yards and one touchdown. With Cameron Brate entrenched as the top backup to O.J. Howard in Tampa Bay, Niklas will compete for a depth role.

Coach Sean McDermott said Thursday that Kroft, who was placed on the PUP list Monday due to a broken foot suffered during May's organized team activities, is "basically just out right now. He's making progress. He's done a great job this offseason getting himself to where he is right now."

Kroft will almost certainly miss most or all of training camp, while the team will likely consider itself fortunate if he's even an option for Week 1. Kroft was acquired this offseason to be the starter, while it's a bit of a scramble behind him with a bunch of unproven players and blocker Lee Smith. The Bills may need to come out of camp with someone who can serve Kroft's role capably for a few weeks into the regular season, with third-round rookie Dawson Knox currently looking like a shaky favorite.

Allen (undisclosed) isn't expected to stay on the PUP list for long, Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Once he's cleared for practice, Allen will compete with Mike Gesicki for playing time at tight end. The second-year pro is a superior athlete with far more upside as a pass catcher, but Allen's blocking and experience could allow him to carve out a sizable role.

Thomas (leg) wasn't placed on the Panthers' preseason PUP list Wednesday, signaling he's healthy for the start of training camp, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Thomas was limited to riding a stationary bike during minicamp just a month ago, but seems to be fully recovered. Now that he's healthy, the 2018 fourth-round pick will enter training camp second on the depth chart at tight end, but Greg Olsen's recent injury history suggests Thomas has a decent shot to make starts before season's end. Thomas performed admirably in Olsen's absence last season, averaging four catches for 36.7 yards on six targets in six starts sans Olsen.