NFL Player News

Smith and the Dolphins agreed to terms Thursday on a two-year contract worth up to $10 million, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Smith provides Miami with a pass-catching complement to blocking specialist Durham Smythe at the tight end position, giving this offense another layer in the receiving game alongside wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Last season with Atlanta, Smith logged a career-best 50-582-3 receiving line on 70 targets while working alongside Kyle Pitts. Heading into his age-29 season, Smith could be an under the radar fantasy stash due to his speed and potential fit in coach Mike McDaniel's offensive scheme, especially if he's able to establish himself as the Dolphins' clear starting tight end.

Woods (hamstring) looks healthy in a recent workout video he posted, according to James Boyd of The Athletic.

The 2022 third-round pick had a promising rookie season with 25 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns on 40 targets while splitting TE snaps with Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson. There was some thought Woods would take on a larger role in second pro season, but then he injured his left hamstring in training camp and didn't get it right until the middle of the season, at which point his right hamstring started to bother him and kept him on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Woods is one of the tallest tight ends in the league (6-7) and ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash at 259 pounds at the 2022 NFL Combine.

Waller said Wednesday that he's still undecided on retirement but will make a decision "pretty soon," Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.

While he doesn't expect to decide before the start of the 2024 league year March 11, the 31-year-old tight end said he doesn't want it become "this drawn-out thing" and will give the Giants time to adjust if they end up needing to replace him. If he waits too long the team might take the decision out of his hands, as Waller doesn't have any guarantees remaining on his contract and is scheduled for at least $12 million in compensation each of the next three seasons. The Giants can free up $11.625 million in cap space by declaring Waller as a post-June 1 release, though multiple reports have suggested they'd rather have him back. The tight end was on pace to catch 85 passes for 923 yards through seven games in 2023 before a Week 8 hamstring injury derailed his season and led to a third straight year with at least five missed games. He had 2,341 yards and 12 TDs in 32 games between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, compared to 1,605 yards and six TDs in 32 games over the past three years combined.

Prince (undisclosed) re-signed with the Chiefs on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Prince ended last season on the Chiefs' practice squad injured list, but he can likely be considered fully healthy with Kansas City keeping him on board ahead of its offseason program. The 26-year-old tight end has yet to make his NFL debut since going undrafted out of UAB in 2022.

Ertz and Washington agreed to terms Wednesday on a one-year contract worth up to $5 million, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Ertz replaces Logan Thomas as a capable veteran atop the Commanders' tight end depth chart. He arrives in Washington with existing familiarity with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's scheme from their time together in Arizona, where Kingsbury served as head coach from 2019 through 2022. As a result of ending last season on Detroit's practice squad, Ertz is eligible to ink a new contract before the start of the new league year March 13. Across seven games with the Cardinals last season before he was released in November, Ertz secured 27 of 43 targets for 187 yards and one touchdown. Depending on how Washington addresses its quarterback situation this offseason, Ertz could carry some fantasy value for the 2024 campaign as a volume play.

Smith visited the Dolphins on Tuesday and is negotiating a contract with the team, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The Falcons released Smith last week, allowing him to sign with a new team before March 11, when players on expiring contracts can start negotiations. His early release means he won't count in the 2025 draft pick compensation process, though the 28-year-old tight end isn't expected to sign a big enough contract to have a major impact in that regard anyway. However, if he signs with Miami, Smith would be a threat to take the starting job away from Durham Smythe, who played 785 snaps last season but was targeted only 43 times (35 catches for 366 yards and no touchdowns). The addition of a faster tight end like Smith might encourage head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to send more targets to the position, though there's not a ton of extra room for volume when wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle both are available.

Muse re-signed with the Vikings on Tuesday.

Muse was set to be an exclusive rights free agent, but he was able to come to an agreement with Minnesota before the start of the new league year. The 25-year-old tight end only appeared in two games last season, making one catch for 22 yards on his lone target.

The Seahawks are slated to release Dissly, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports.

Per the report, the move will free up $6.97 million in salary cap space for Seattle. Dissly, who is coming off a 2023 regular season in which he recorded 17 catches on 22 targets for 172 yards and a touchdown over 16 games, will look to catch on elsewhere as a depth tight end.

The Panthers plan to release Hurst (concussion) before March 16, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Hurst's release will come just one season into the three-year, $21.75 million contract he inked with Carolina last offseason, due to the veteran tight end reportedly declining to take a pay cut. Across nine regular-season appearances in 2023, Hurst recorded a 18-184-1 receiving line before suffering a season-ending concussion, and post-traumatic amnesia, Week 10. Hurst said after the season that he'd been medically cleared, and as an experienced and proven veteran, he should get sizable attention on the open market as long as teams aren't concerned about his health.

The Texans and Schultz agreed to terms on a three-year, $36 million contract extension on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Schultz will stick around with C.J. Stroud for the foreseeable future on a new deal that includes $23.5 million in guarantees, per Rapoport. Had he not been re-signed Schultz would've arguably been the top tight end of this free agency cycle, and keeping the pass-catching corps that Stroud found success with as a rookie intact makes complete sense for Houston. Across 15 regular-season games in 2023, Schultz secured 59 of 88 targets for 635 yards and five scores.