NFL Player News

Thomas appears "locked in" for a spot on the Lions' Week 1 roster, Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

Thomas has reportedly been a pleasant surprise for Detroit and his status as the No. 3 option on the depth chart was seemingly made clear by the recent dismissal of fellow tight end Michael Roberts (shoulder). While he's highly unlikely to move up any higher in the pecking order barring an injury to T.J. Hockenson or Jesse James, Thomas clearly has a leg up on Isaac Nauta and Jerome Cunningham ahead of training camp. With that said, it's possible Detroit keeps four tight ends anyway, which only provides Thomas with even more job security ahead of the 2019 campaign.

Vannett may face competition for a roster spot, Nishant Kondepudi of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Will Dissly (knee) seems like Seattle's only lock at tight end, with Vannett, Ed Dickson and Jacob Hollister competing for what may only be two spots. The team has been using offensive tackle George Fant as a blocking tight end, potentially reducing the need for Vannett or Dickson. In any case, the 2016 third-round pick failed to capitalize on a prime opportunity last season when injuries limited Dissly and Dickson to 14 combined appearances. Vannett posted a 29-269-3 receiving line on 43 targets while averaging 35.2 snaps in 15 games.

Firkser dealt with an undisclosed injury during the offseason program, Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com reports.

Firkser wore a yellow jersey during practice, which indicates he was still working his way back from an injury. He saw a relatively healthy amount of playing time last season due to injuries on the depth chart ahead of him, but he's no lock to make the final roster again this season. Thus, a healthy beginning to training camp will be a good start for the 24-year-old.

Gesicki said he feels "more comfortable" and is "able to adapt a little bit quicker" heading into his second NFL season, Chris Perkins of The Athletic reports.

Following an unimpressive rookie campaign in which he caught only 22 passes for 202 yards, Gesicki appears primed to take a step forward in Year 2. Rookie struggles are par for the course at the tight end position, and Gesicki was specifically billed as an athletic but raw prospect when the Dolphins selected him No. 42 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. The team acquired Dwayne Allen in free agency, a veteran known for his blocking ability, which should allow Gesicki to focus on his strengths as a receiving weapon and red zone threat. As a focal piece of Miami's rebuilding process, it seems likely that Gesicki will receive plenty of snaps and opportunities to develop in 2019.

Henry (knee) made a handful of impressive catches during OTAs, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reports.

Now a year removed from tearing his ACL, Henry looks fully healthy entering his fourth professional season. Considering veteran mainstay Antonio Gates hasn't re-signed with the Chargers and Virgil Green remains around purely as a blocking tight end, the 24-year-old could be in position for a major chunk of the team's target share, particularly between the 20s. The emergence of Mike Williams as a certifiable red-zone threat might threaten Henry's chances at exceeding his career-high eight touchdowns in 2016, but the 6-foot-5, big-bodied target will still be a featured option near the goal line regardless of the other personnel around him.

Hurst (hamstring) participated in team drills during June's mandatory minicamp, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Hurst missed out on the final days of OTAs in early June with a minor hamstring injury, but his full return for minicamp suggests he's back in working order. The greater concern for the 2018 first-round pick is the emergence of fellow tight end Mark Andrews, who was taken two rounds after Hurst but has made more of a mark in the NFL to date. Both tight ends should nonetheless see heavy involvement in the Baltimore offense this season, as both caught touchdown passes from Lamar Jackson in red-zone team drills during minicamp.

Hill expects to have an easier time with blocking and running routes during the upcoming season, Sean Fazende of Fox 8 News New Orleans reports.

Hill is locked in for another season as a third-string quarterback, gadget player and core special teams contributor. He's a natural runner who produced 5.3 yards per carry on 37 attempts last season, but the blocking and receiving aspects of his unique role seemed to present a challenge, with Hill catching just three of seven targets for four yards. His continued development in those areas will only make the Saints more dangerous in the red zone, potentially allowing the team to utilize Hill without holding Drew Brees out for select snaps.

Higbee is facing increased competition for the starting tight-end job from Gerald Everett, who appeared much improved during the offseason program, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports.

The Rams have favored Higbee's blocking over Everett's receiving ability in the past, but it may be a different story now that the latter is becoming increasingly comfortable as a blocker. There's also the matter of Cooper Kupp (knee) not being a lock to play in Week 1, which could inspire coach Sean McVay to place a greater emphasis on throwing to his tight ends. Of course, the same scenario also would encourage increased use of two-tight-end formations, something the Rams started to do after Kupp suffered his season-ending ACL tear in November. Regardless of the different scenarios at play, the 26-year-old Higbee hasn't shown much hint of upside beyond his receptions totals from the past two years (25 and 24).

Swaim is facing competition from rookie third-round pick Josh Oliver, John Oehser of the Jaguars' official website reports.

Swaim joined one of the weakest position groups in the league when he signed a two-year, $6.6 million deal in March. The contract still makes him a favorite for the Week 1 starting job, but his middling athleticism becomes all the more obvious next to Oliver, who tied Irv Smith Jr. for the third-fastest 40-yard dash (4.63 seconds) among tight ends at the 2019 combine. The Jaguars also have James O'Shaughnessy and Ben Koyack competing for snaps at tight end.

Uzomah is joined by Tyler Eifert and second-round pick Drew Sample at tight end, ESPN.com's Katherine Terrell reports.

Uzomah re-signed with Cincinnati on a three-year, $18.3 million contract, though the team can escape after one season and $6.25 million if he's released before the third day of the 2020 league year, per overthecap.com. The Bengals signed Eifert to a one-year, $5.5 million deal shortly thereafter, then picked up Sample at No. 52 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. The result is a three-way competition for playing time, but there's still a decent chance for Uzomah to draw regular targets at some point this upcoming season, considering the rookie mostly is valued for his blocking -- he had just 46 catches during his college career -- and Eifert hasn't played more than eight games in a season since 2015. Uzomah's career marks of 9.7 yards per catch and 6.5 yards per target hint at limited upside even if he eventually finds his way into a three-down role again.