NFL Player News
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Andrew Ogletree TE | IND
Colts' Andrew Ogletree: Unavailable for practice
Ogletree (knee) remains sidelined at the Colts' OTAs, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Ogletree suffered a torn ACL at practice last August and he's been slowly recovering since. Instead of rushing their second-year tight end back, the Colts seem adamant in taking their time with Ogletree. Once healthy, the 24-year-old will look to compete with the likes of Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox for the reserve role behind starter Jelani Woods (hamstring).
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Luke Schoonmaker TE | DAL
Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Dealing with foot issue
Schoonmaker is dealing with a case of plantar fascia and has been limited at OTAs, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Schoonmaker was spotted wearing a protective boot on his right foot at practice Thursday. The tight end was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft and once healthy, he's expected to compete with Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot for snaps this season.
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Hayden Hurst TE | LAC
Panthers' Hayden Hurst: Should practice Friday
Coach Frank Reich said he expects Hurst (sports hernia) to participate in individual drills at OTAs on Friday, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
The 29-year-old has been sidelined for the start of Carolina's voluntary offseason workouts after he underwent offseason surgery for a sports hernia, but he's nearing his return to the field. Hurst agreed to a three-year contract with the Panthers in March and should have plenty of time to get back to full health before the start of training camp.
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Luke Musgrave TE | GB
Packers' Luke Musgrave: Working with first-team offense
Musgrave has been getting reps with the first-team offense at OTAs this week, Ryan Wood of USA Today reports.
After letting Robert Tonyan walk in free agency, the Packers didn't sign any veteran tight ends but used second- and third-round picks on Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, respectively. Playing time at tight end thus appears to be up for grabs, with fourth-year player Josiah Deguara also in the mix for reps. As for Musgrave, head coach Matt LaFleur has praised the rookie for the speed and size (6-foot-6, 253 pounds) he brings to the table, and he likely profiles as the top receiving threat among the three tight ends competing for the top spot on the depth chart.
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Tommy Hudson TE | NO
Broncos' Tommy Hudson: Headed to Denver
Denver signed Hudson (undisclosed) on Wednesday, Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports.
Hudson spent parts of the past three campaigns in Tennessee, but he was waived last October with an undisclosed injury. Per Klis, the undrafted tight end out of Arizona State impressed during a tryout at the Broncos' rookie minicamp, so he appears to be fully healthy and will look to make Denver's Week 1 roster. Hudson has caught three of six targets across five career regular-season appearances, which all came in 2021 with the Titans.
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Jesse James TE | LV
Saints' Jesse James: Joins New Orleans
The Saints signed James (biceps) on Wednesday, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
James signed a one-year deal with the Browns in 2022 but appeared in just two games before suffering a season-ending biceps injury. Given that he passed a physical before signing his contract with New Orleans, the veteran tight end appears to be healthy heading into 2023 and will look to make the Saints' Week 1 roster. During a three-year stretch in Pittsburgh from 2016 through 2018, James caught 112 passes for 1,133 yards and eight touchdowns, but he's failed to replicate that production in each of his last three stops (Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland).
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Pat Freiermuth TE | PIT
Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Practicing this offseason
Freiermuth (knee) has been practicing during OTAs this offseason, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Freiermuth sustained an MCL sprain during the Steelers' regular-season finale in January, but he appears to be back to full health now that the team has begun offseason activities. The 24-year-old enters the 2023 campaign as Pittsburgh's clear No. 1 tight end after securing 63 of 98 targets for 732 yards and two touchdowns last season.
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John FitzPatrick TE | GB
Falcons' John FitzPatrick: Returns to OTAs
FitzPatrick (undisclosed) was spotted participating in team drills last Wednesday, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
After missing the entire 2022 NFL season with an undisclosed injury, the big-bodied tight end is back on the field with no restrictions. FitzPatrick was a 2022 sixth-round pick by Atlanta and is expected to compete with Feleipe Franks and Parker Hesse for a depth role on the 53-man roster.
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Brandon Dillon TE | WAS
Commanders' Brandon Dillon: Joins Washington
The Commanders signed Dillon on Tuesday.
Dillon appeared in five games for the Vikings between 2019 and 2021, totaling just one reception for six yards. However, despite bouncing around a few organizations, he hasn't appeared in a regular-season NFL game since. The undrafted tight end out of Marian figures to be a long shot to make Washington's Week 1 roster, but he will provide some depth to a position group that recently lost Armani Rogers (Achilles) for the entire 2023 campaign.
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Austin Hooper TE | ATL
Raiders' Austin Hooper: Facing competition for top role
Hooper could slide to No. 2 on the depth chart after the Raiders selected fellow tight end Michael Mayer with the 35th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Vic Tafur of TheAthletic.com reports.
Hooper originally faced little competition for the top job at tight end when he signed with Las Vegas in March after the team dealt Darren Waller to the Giants, but Mayer projects to vulture first-team reps sooner rather than later. The rookie's introduction limits the ceiling on Hooper's fantasy outlook, and 2017 first rounder O.J. Howard could factor into the TE mix as well.