All articles tagged with #tight end
Steelers cut tight end Jonnu Smith after a disappointing 2025 season, saving $7 million in cap space; Smith had a career year with the Dolphins in 2024 but slumped in Pittsburgh (38 catches, 2 TDs), leaving him a free agent with potential fits including a Chargers bid or a possible reunion with Mike McDaniel in Los Angeles.
Detroit Lions are likely to pursue short-term tight end depth in free agency rather than a long-term, splashy investment, given their current personnel led by Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright and the lack of long-term guarantees beyond 2026. Best-fit targets with ties to the new staff include Daniel Bellinger, Austin Hooper, Tyler Conklin, and Chris Manhertz, while David Njoku could be an intriguing, high-upside option due to Petzing’s past coaching him. The focus is on insurance and development rather than a major TE investment this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers released tight end Jonnu Smith after less than a year on the roster, saving about $7 million against the salary cap but incurring roughly $3.87 million in dead money. Smith, who posted a career year with the Dolphins in 2024, struggled in Pittsburgh (38 receptions, 222 yards, 2 TDs) and failed to build chemistry with quarterback Aaron Rodgers or contribute as a blocker, leading to his release. He becomes an unrestricted free agent, likely seeking his sixth team, while Pittsburgh leans on Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington and may re-sign Connor Heyward.
Patriots-focused analysis of Friday’s NFL Combine TE and DB workouts highlights five key points: Kenyon Sadiq looks like the lone first‑round tight end thanks to elite athleticism (4.39s 40, 9.43 RAS) but questions linger on inline blocking; Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil‑Warren boosted their draft stocks as versatile defenders likely to go in the early-to-mid rounds; Eli Stowers wowed as a receiving-tight end candidate (4.51s 40, 45.5
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest ever by a tight end and breaking the 4.40 barrier. He also posted an 11-foot-1 broad jump and a 43.5-inch vertical, following a 51-catch, 560-yard, eight-TD college season and earning Big Ten tight end of the year honors, boosting top-half of the first-round expectations for the 2026 NFL draft.
Former quarterback Eli Stowers has transformed into Vanderbilt's top tight end, earning All-American honors and the Mackey Award in 2025, while continuing to improve his run blocking; he posted 49 receptions for 638 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, and credits his quarterback background with helping him understand offensive and defensive schemes as he refines technique.
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq ran a 4.39-second 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest by a tight end since at least 2003, surpassing Vernon Davis’s 4.40 (2006) and Dorin Dickerson’s 4.40 (2010). He also posted strong broad and vertical jumps and had a standout 2025 season (51 receptions, 560 yards, 8 TD), fueling first-round expectations as NFL.com projects him as a top-16 prospect.
With Todd Monken taking over, Cleveland plans a system built around limited current talent and a likely TE-heavy approach for 2026, potentially reuniting Monken with Georgia product Oscar Delp while adding other TEs like Harold Fannin Jr., Blake Whiteheart, and Brenden Bates after David Njoku’s departure.
The Falcons are expected to franchise-tag Kyle Pitts, removing the top tight end option from free agency and narrowing the Patriots’ pursuit at the position. With Austin Hooper set to hit unrestricted free agency, New England currently has Hunter Henry, C.J. Dippre, and Marshall Lang under contract for 2026, leaving room to target other available tight ends such as Cade Otton, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, or Chigoziem Okonkwo, while Fant, Njoku, and Goedert are not on the market.
Falcons' plan to franchise-tag Kyle Pitts tightens the market for top tight ends, potentially giving the Steelers' Pat Freiermuth added trade value as Pittsburgh pursues a win-now approach under new coach Mike McCarthy.
The Atlanta Falcons will franchise-tag tight end Kyle Pitts for about $16.5 million, counting against the 2026 salary cap, keeping him in Atlanta as talks for a long-term deal continue. Pitts, 25, rose to 1,000+ receiving yards as a rookie but then dealt with injuries, delivering a 928-yard, five-TD season in 2025 before the tag.
The Atlanta Falcons plan to use the franchise tag on tight end Kyle Pitts to prevent him from hitting free agency, with a 2026 tag value around $16.3 million and the possibility of a long-term deal later. Pitts, who has evolved into a productive receiver (88 catches, 928 yards, 5 TDs in 2025), is seen as a core piece for a Falcons offense under the new regime, which aims to keep him in Atlanta while negotiating a multi-year contract by the July 15 deadline.
After four years with the Ravens, Isaiah Likely is about to test free agency, expressing strong affection for Baltimore but acknowledging that business decisions will shape his next move. Baltimore has about $22 million in cap space, with decisions looming on Lamar Jackson’s restructure, Mark Andrews’ extension, and contracts for Zay Flowers and Tyler Linderbaum, which could affect whether Likely returns. He battled a foot injury this season but still posted 27 receptions, 307 yards, and 1 TD, and he has career totals of 1,568 yards and 15 TDs on 135 catches since 2022, signaling his potential to contribute for a team that can maximize a QB. His future could be back in Baltimore or elsewhere with a different scheme or coach.
Denver’s tight end group underperformed last season, with Evan Engram’s contribution limited and other options behind him not rising to the occasion. Baltimore’s Isaiah Likely, a versatile 6‑4, 245-pound TE who can block, line up in multiple spots, and contribute as a receiver, is discussed as a potential affordable upgrade if he hits the open market. If Engram stays, Likely would be a buy‑low addition behind him; if not, Denver could pursue Likely, draft another TE, and continue developing Caleb Lohner while overhauling the position.
Browns tight end David Njoku announced he will not return to Cleveland as he heads into free agency, ending a nine-year run in which he ranks second in Browns tight-end history with 384 receptions and 34 touchdowns. His contract voids on March 12, with a $24 million dead-cap hit for 2026 unless the Browns apply post-June 1 relief to spread it over two years. The 2025 season saw rookie Harold Fannin Jr. emerge as the top tight end with 72 receptions for 731 yards and six touchdowns, while Njoku has missed 11 games due to injuries in the past two seasons. He posted a grateful message on Instagram, saying the city of Cleveland will forever be home as he pursues a new destination.