NFL Player News

Lucas was waived by the 49ers on Tuesday.

Lucas signed a reserve/future contract with the 49ers in January but has not appeared in an NFL game since he entered the league in 2014. He was waived to create a roster spot for the signing of offensive lineman Wesley Johnson.

Coach Pete Carroll said Dissly (kneecap) has resumed running, Andy Patton of USA Today reports. "He's making great progress," Carroll said last week, regarding Dissly. "Really everybody is excited that he's going to be OK by the time we open up. At camp, it will be a really interesting time to see how far he's come. He's running, he's working. He looks good."

This isn't the first time this offseason that Carroll has had encouraging things to say about Dissly's recovery from a patellar injury. Tentatively expected back for training camp, Dissly's perceived spot atop Seattle's depth chart was strengthened this past weekend after the team decided against selecting a tight end in one of the strongest classes at the position in recent memory. However, the team recently acquired Jacob Hollister from the Patriots, and Dissly will need to recover in full to also hold off Nick Vannett and Ed Dickson for snaps this season.

Hunt signed a one-year contract with the Panthers on Tuesday.

Hunt's a big tight end standing at 6-foot-7, 255 pounds. He spent time this spring in the Alliance of American Football, but he was barely productive with just two catches for 13 yards over eight games. Hunt will need to be a dominant run blocker in order to secure a roster spot.

General manager Mike Mayock hopes Waller can become the Raiders' top receiving threat at tight end, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports.

There was buzz about the Raiders using an early draft pick on a tight end, but they instead waited until the fourth round to select Foster Moreau, who caught 52 passes in 49 games at LSU. The rookie figures to compete with Lee Smith and Derek Carrier (concussion) for inline blocking snaps, while Waller and Luke Willson (concussion) will battle for the pass-catching role. None of the bunch is likely to come anywhere near Jared Cook's 2018 production, but there's at least a hint of upside with Waller, a converted college wideout who ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the 2015 combine. He flashed his potential at the end of last season with six catches for 75 yards on six targets over the final three weeks in December.

Washington signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent Monday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.

Washington appeared in five games for Rutgers last season, catching 11 passes for 202 yards. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound tight end likely will be fighting for a roster spot in a special teams role.

The Seahawks have acquired Hollister from the Patriots in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2020, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports.

Presumably past the hamstring injury that he dealt with during the postseason, Hollister, who turns 26 in November, gives the Seahawks some added tight end depth with Will Dissly bouncing back from a knee injury. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder has notched just eight catches for 94 yards in 23 NFL games to date, but Hollister does offer a degree of pass-catching upside if he can stay on the field. From New England's perspective, the trade is somewhat surprising, considering the team did not select a tight end (which was viewed as a clear need) in the recent NFL Draft. With that in mind, it's possible the Patriots have another move brewing to address the position in the coming days.

Brown officially signed a contract with the Rams as an undrafted free agent.

Brown signs from FBS Texas State, where he caught 51 passes for 577 yards and five touchdowns in 2018. He was graded as the top tight end last season, according to Pro Football Focus, and caught 76.1 percent of targets. Brown could have a decent shot to make the roster with unproven options on the depth chart ahead of him.

Kroft (foot) will be joined by 2019 draft picks Dawson Knox (No. 96 overall) and Tommy Sweeney (No. 228) at tight end, Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News reports.

It's actually a pretty good outcome for Kroft, who signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract in March while rehabbing from season-ending foot surgery. The Bills can get out of the deal without much pain after one season, but they won't have an obvious replacement based on their 2019 draft picks. Knox finished his Ole Miss career with a 39-605-0 receiving line and was largely selected on the basis of workout numbers, while Sweeney's subpar speed caps his pass-catching upside. Jason Croom is the biggest threat to steal targets from Kroft in 2019.

The Chargers are expected to sign Helm as an undrafted free agent.

The Duke product was decent in 2018, catching 26 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Helm will likely battle with fellow undrafted tight end Matt Sokol, among others for a roster spot.

The Rams are expected to sign Blanton as an undrafted free agent, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Blanton played in 22 games over three seasons with the University of Missouri, recording 44 receptions for 476 yards and six touchdowns. The Rams tight-end corps is led by Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee, so Blanton will look to make the team as a depth option.