NFL Player News

Smith, who followed Urban Meyer from Utah in 2006 after graduating in three years, is very slight at 5-10/165 but led the SEC in interceptions with eight. He could develop into an R.W. McQuarters type if he bulks up.

The No. 204 overall pick of the draft out of Boston College, Bond generated hype during the offseason program before turning in a solid preseason. It’s a bit of a surprise the receiver-needy Texans are passing on stashing him on the 53-man roster, but they will undoubtedly hope he clears waivers and lands on the practice squad.

The 2024 second-round pick never fully caught on in Tampa and was buried on the depth chart, with the team’s selection of Reuben Bain in the first round effectively sealing his fate. Braswell is likely to draw interest in the open market and could catch on as a pass rush developmental depth piece in short order.

Tipton will now miss at least the first four games of the season while on the PUP list. He is still recovering from a groin issue that landed him on injured reserve late in the 2025 season. With Tipton and Jordyn Tyson sidelined for the start of the season, Devaughn Vele and potentially rookie Bryce Lance will round out the team’s starting receiver trio for Week 1.

An undrafted free agent out of Miami, Restrepo joined the Titans last season and had 41 yards on three catches over his two active games late in the regular season. Restrepo led the Titans with eight catches and 97 receiving yards this preseason and seemed to surprise Titans beat writers with his ability to get open during training camp. He’ll start the season near the bottom of the team’s depth chart.

Rouse had been reported as waived, but the Pats swooped in with a Day 3 pick swap to secure his services. One of the last men on a strong overall New England roster, Rouse will have his work cut out for him to remain on the 53-man roster rather than being sent to the practice squad.

It’s something of a surprise considering Dortch was productive in limited opportunities as a member of the Cardinals from 2021 to 2025. Dortch had 66 receptions and six touchdowns over the past two seasons with Arizona, occassionally drawing a start when the team struggled with wideout injuries. Look for Dortch to catch on with another team in the coming days or weeks as receiver depth.

The big-play threat who wasn’t, Hyatt never made the transition from the University of Tennessee’s simplistic offense to the big leagues. He caught 23 passes as a 2023 third-round rookie, but saw that number fall to 13 combined over the past two years. Chaotic coaching and quarterback situations surely didn’t help, but the reality is Hyatt was a one-trick pony who struggled with said trick. Although he is still only 25 years old next month, Hyatt is unlikely to have teams lining up to a take a deep-ball flier.

The designation to return means that Dell is expected to contribute in some capacity this season, although he appears a ways off still. With Jaylin Noel still nursing an injury after experiencing a setback and Jayden Higgins lost for the season, recent acquisition Kayshon Boutte has all the runway to operate as the WR2 opposite Nico Collins to start the season. Xavier Hutchinson should also see an uptick in opportunities while tight end Dalton Schultz should see a significant boost in weekly volume.

Guerendo, still recovering from a pec injury, will miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season. This helps to clarify the Niners backfield situation headed into the season. Behind Christian McCaffrey will be some combination of Kaelon Black — who has drawn praise from coaches and QB Brock Purdy — and Jordan James, who missed most of training camp with a rib injury. Guerendo is a long way from playing time in the Niners offense.