Player News

Claypool, who was released by the Bills last August with an injury settlement, recently revealed in an Instagram post that he's bouncing back from tearing a ligament and tendon in his second toe, Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com reports.

After signing with Buffalo last May, Claypool was making a push to secure a role in the team's wideout corps ahead of the 2024 season, but a toe injury that the 26-year-old suffered last summer ended up sidelining him for the entire campaign. Since then, Claypool has been rehabbing and recovering with an eye toward moving past the issue and resuming his NFL career. The 2020 second-rounder last saw regular-season action in 2023, when he caught eight passes (on 21 targets) in 12 games (three with the Bears and nine with the Dolphins) for 77 yards and a TD.

Steelers receivers coach Zach Azzani recently said "that [WR2] spot is all [Austin's] right now," Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

The Steelers reworked their wideout room over the offseason, jettisoning George Pickens in a trade while also letting Van Jefferson walk in free agency. DK Metcalf was acquired from Seattle, and Pittsburgh also signed 33-year-old Robert Woods. However, it sounds like Austin has a significant lead on Woods and second-year WR Roman Wilson for the starting gig opposite Metcalf. Austin had a breakout 2024 campaign, posting a 36-548-4 receiving line on 58 targets while playing in all 17 regular-season games, averaging a robust 15.2 yards per catch. Following the Steelers' acquisition of Jonnu Smith, this looks like an offense that is going to feature two tight ends in Smith and Pat Freiermuth, as opposed to three wide receivers, so the winner of the WR2 job stands to see far more playing time than the Steelers' third and fourth receivers.

Walker was Baltimore's most consistent wide receiver during spring practices and appears to be the frontrunner for the WR4 job, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Walker was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 Draft and saw just three targets across nine regular-season appearances as a rookie, catching one pass for a 21-yard touchdown. Walker played just 57 offensive snaps across those nine contests and was sixth amongst Baltimore's wideouts in targets. The Ravens signed DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason and kept Tylan Wallace with a one-year deal, but Hensley believes Walker is positioned to leap Wallace for the WR4 gig despite Wallace posting an 11-193-1 line on 12 targets and 275 snaps last regular season.

Waller is coming out of retirement and was acquired by the Dolphins in a trade with the Giants on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The two teams are swapping late-round picks, with the Giants acquiring a conditional sixth-rounder in 2026 and Miami also getting a 2027 seventh-rounder. Waller will sign an adjusted, incentive-laden deal to facilitate the trade to Miami, according to Pelissero. Waller turns 33 years old in September and retired ahead of training camp last summer. However, he recently informed the Giants of his desire to return to football, but only if it could be in Miami. With Jonnu Smith traded by the Dolphins to the Steelers on Monday, Miami had a massive hole at tight end. Waller is getting up there in age and hasn't been particularly effective or healthy since 2020 with the Raiders. It's still a worthwhile flier for a Dolphins offense that was lacking established pass catchers behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Freiermuth will play alongside fellow tight end Jonnu Smith after the Steelers traded for Smith on Monday, Steelers Now reports.

Coming off an 88-catch breakout campaign while playing in all 17 regular-season games, Smith represents a threat to Freiermuth's playing time in 11 personnel even if they can work together symbiotically in multi-TE formations. Freiermuth is entering the first season of a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension, while Smith just signed a one-year, $12 million extension through 2026. Both tight ends will find it difficult to approach their 2024 volume, competing against each other (and WR DK Metcalf) for targets from a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers in Arthur Smith's run-first offense.

The Dolphins are trading Smith, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Steelers in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Smith was said to be unhappy with his contract in Miami following last year's career highs for catches, yards and touchdowns. A move to Pittsburgh reunites him with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who was the head coach in Atlanta when Jonnu Smith played there. It isn't an especially promising move for Smith's fantasy value, as the Steelers likely will run the ball a lot and already have Pat Freiermuth at tight end.

Browns running backs coach Duce Staley said at mandatory minicamp in mid-June that Sampson has gotten work "as a running back and a receiver," Dan Labbe of cleveland.com reports.

Staley also said that Sampson has worked with wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea, and that the rookie fourth-round pick "is able to go play in the slot and also he's able to go and play on third down and maybe sprinkle in a little second down." The running backs coach also noted that fellow rookie RB Quinshon Judkins, whom the Browns drafted two rounds ahead of Sampson, will be "able to do a little something [...] at receiver, too." Meanwhile, incumbent Jerome Ford has already demonstrated tangible pass-catching chops, and Staley praised his "speed" and ability to "pick up the blitz and catch the ball." While all three of Cleveland's top running backs could see tangible usage in the passing game, Labbe hypothesizes that as things currently stand Judkins and Sampson project to lead the Browns' revamped backfield, with Ford serving as the No. 3 back. Sampson didn't catch many passes in college at Tennessee, including as the team's starter in 2024, so it would come as a surprise if he in fact beats out Ford for passing-down reps at training camp, but if the rookie fourth-rounder can manage that feat he'll have a clear path to fantasy relevance in Year 1, especially in PPR formats.

The Browns signed Szmyt to a contract Thursday, Kelsey Russo of the team's official site reports.

Szmyt spent time on Cleveland's practice squad last December and began the offseason on the team's 90-man roster, but he was waived in early June to make room for second-year wideout Jaelen Gill. Now, with the Browns' release of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Szmyt gets an opportunity to re-sign with the team and provide competition for projected starting kicker Dustin Hopkins.

The NFL announced Thursday that Tucker has been suspended the first 10 weeks of the 2025 regular season for violating the league's personal conduct policy, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Tucker's suspension comes following his release by the Ravens in early May, and as a consequence of the league's investigation for improper conduct relating to off-field allegations. Baltimore selected Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft as a replacement for Tucker. The veteran is entering his age-36 campaign and declined notably in 2024, connecting on just 24 of his 32 field-goal attempts across 17 appearances during the regular season and two playoff games. Tucker will first be eligible for reinstatement Nov. 11, but teams around the league may not have serious interest in signing a declining player facing both serious accusations and a hefty suspension.

Tillman is expected to have a full-time role in 2025, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Other than inking a baggage-heavy Diontae Johnson to a one-year deal with zero guaranteed money, the Browns didn't do much during the offseason to upgrade the receiving corps. Tillman was having a breakout middle portion of the season in 2024 before a concussion forced him to miss the final six weeks -- he was back on the field for OTAs this summer. Following the departure of Amari Cooper last season, the Browns gave Tillman an opportunity, and he delivered. Over a four-game span, he caught 24 of 40 targets with three touchdowns. He's the biggest target (6-foot-3) among the receiving group and could be a factor in a passing game that may incorporate a lot of deep passes if Joe Flacco is the staring quarterback.