NFL Player News

The Jets are releasing Uzomah (knee) to clear $5.3 million in cap space, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

The 31-year-old tight end caught 29 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games after signing a three-year, $24 million contract with the Jets in March of 2022. Uzomah finished the 2023 season on injured reserve with an MCL injury, and he'll likely have to compete for a backup job if he wants to continue his NFL career.

Zylstra (knee) re-signed with the Lions on Monday.

Zylstra spent the entirety of the 2023 campaign on IR with a knee injury suffered during training camp, but he should be considered healthy with his return to the team. The 27-year-old last suited up in 2022, when he made 11 receptions (on 15 targets) for 60 yards and four touchdowns across 13 contests. He'll likely be competing for a depth role in the Lions' tight end corps in 2024.

Waller still hasn't decided whether he will return to the Giants for the 2024 season or retire, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports.

Early Friday, news emerged that Waller had contemplated retirement during the offseason but ultimately decided to return. However, the veteran tight end subsequently texted the Post to explain that, despite those reports, he is undecided about retirement. New York gave up a third-round draft pick to acquire Waller from the Raiders in March of 2023, and it's safe to assume that the organization was expecting to get more than one season out of him when making that deal. If Waller does decide to retire, it would be a significant blow to the Giants' air attack, as he ranked second on the team with 52 catches and 552 receiving yards last season despite playing in only 12 games.

Washington announced the release of Thomas on Friday, saving the team roughly $6.5 million in cap space.

Thomas' release leaves the Commanders with about $1.7 million in dead cap space. The veteran tight end is heading into his age-33 season but logged a solid bounce-back effort in 2023, having secured 55 of 79 targets for 496 yards and four scores across 16 regular-season games. A proven contributor capable of moving the chains on offense, Thomas should garner real interest on the free agent market, though he's not guaranteed a chance at a true starting role at this point in his career. Washington also released veteran tackle Charles Leno in a cap-saving move Friday.

Waller thought about retiring earlier this offseason, but he'll continue playing football and isn't expected to be a cap casualty, Paul Schwartz and Ryan Dunleavy of the NY Post report.

A midseason hamstring injury cost Waller five games in 2023, his first year with the Giants and third straight season missing at least five contests. He has three years remaining on his contract but no salary guarantees, with the Giants able to add around $11.6 million in 2024 cap space by declaring the tight end as a post-June 1 cut (or waiting until June to trade him). It sounds like player and team want to give things another shot in New York, hoping Waller can stay relatively healthy for the first time since 2020 even though he'll turn 32 in September. He was on pace to catch 85 passes for 923 yards through seven games in 2023 before the hamstring injury derailed his season Week 8. Waller missed the next five games and then played less than two-thirds of snaps on offense in each of the final four weeks of the season.

Rams general manager Les Snead confirmed Wednesday that Higbee (knee) has had surgery to address a torn ACL and MCL, but a timetable for his return is still uncertain, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Higbee suffered ligament damage to his right knee during the Rams' wild-card playoff loss to the Lions on Jan. 14, after taking a low hit on the offense's final drive. The timing of his injury puts his status for Week 1 of the 2024 season in serious doubt, and likewise makes him an unlikely candidate to be cleared for the start of training camp in late July. Behind the 31-year-old veteran on the depth chart are Davis Allen, Hunter Long (knee) and Brycen Hopkins, all of whom now look like candidates to begin the 2024 season in expanded roles, barring other additions to the tight-end room.

The Falcons will release Smith, Terrin Waack of the team's official site reports.

Per the report, the move, which had been expected, will save the Falcons $6.5 million towards their salary cap. In his lone campaign with Atlanta, the 28-year-old hauled in 50 of his 70 targets for a career-high 582 yards and three TDs in 17 games, while logging action on 58 percent of the team's offensive snaps in 2023. In the wake of Smith's looming departure, Kyle Pitts remains atop the Falcons' tight end depth chart, with John FitzPatrick and Tucker Fisk also under contract for the 2024 season.

Smith is expected to be released by Atlanta, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Smith performed adequately for the Falcons in his debut season with the team, as in 2023 he secured 50 of 70 targets for 582 yards and three touchdowns across 17 regular-season appearances. Nonetheless, entering his age-29 season, Smith carried a non-guaranteed salary of $6.5 million, with just $2.5 million in dead money, making his release a relatively easy decision. Though Smith was the Falcons' fourth-leading receiver in 2023, that came in part due to former head coach Arthur Smith's tight-end heavy deployment, something that seems likely to change under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Kyle Pitts now looks primed to enter the 2024 campaign as the clear top option leading Atlanta's TE depth chart.

Allen could be the Rams' No. 1 tight end when the season starts while Tyler Higbee recovers from a torn ACL and MCL, CCameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.

Allen appeared in 15 regular-season games during his rookie season, after he was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 Draft. The Clemson product recorded 10 catches on 11 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown, all coming from Week 12 on, as Allen's role in the offense grew. Higbee does have a chance to be ready by the time the 2024 regular season kicks off, but if his recovery moves slowly, or he suffers any setbacks, Allen may have an opportunity to seize the top tight end role in the Rams offense.

Okwuegbunam (hamstring) signed a one-year deal with the Eagles on Thursday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

Okwuegbunam spent the 2023 season in Philadelphia, but he was regularly a healthy inactive. In total, he suited up for only five contests and was on the field for 55 offensive snaps and five special teams snaps. Owuegbunam could see a slight uptick in his role in 2024, but he is very unlikely to make a significant impact on the stat sheet.