Panthers' Hayden Hurst: Recovering from sports hernia
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Coach Frank Reich said Monday that Hurst (sports hernia) is recovering from a procedure and progressing well, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Hurst is absent from the start of Carolina's voluntary offseason workouts due to his rehab. While Reich didn't offer an exact timeframe for his expected return, it doesn't seem as though Hurst is in danger of missing significant time. The veteran tight end signed a three-year contract with the Panthers this offseason, putting him in prime position to act as one of the top pass catchers for No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and Andy Dalton once Hurst is healthy.
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Panthers' Hayden Hurst: Finds home in Carolina
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Hurst agreed Wednesday with the Panthers on a three-year contract, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Hurst proved to be a competent starter while with Cincinnati on a one-year deal in 2022, logging a 52-414-2 receiving line on 68 targets over 13 regular-season appearances. He now gets a chance to lead Carolina's tight end room, which also features complementary options Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble. All signs point to the Panthers grabbing a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft, and the presence of a reliable tight end like Hurst should be helpful in developing whichever young signal-caller Carolina taps to direct the offense.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Future uncertain
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Hurst had four catches on five targets for 37 yards in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs.
Signed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal this offseason, Hurst enjoyed a nice bounce-back campaign in Cincinnati despite missing three games due to a calf injury. After generating a 52-414-2 receiving line on 68 targets over his 13 appearances during the regular season, Hurst likely won't be keen on settling for a one-year deal as he heads back into free agency this spring. Even if the 29-year-old tight end does end up signing another one-year contract, he should at least be in store for a slight bump in pay whether he returns to Cincinnati or heads elsewhere.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Good to go for AFCCG
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Hurst (calf) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs after practicing fully Friday.
Hurst proclaimed himself healthy earlier in the day Friday, and his confidence was validated by the official injury report. The starting tight end was a limited participant in practice Thursday, but it appears that limited session was precautionary. Hurst has caught nine of 12 targets for 104 yards, one touchdown and one fumble lost through two games this postseason.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: In line to play Sunday
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Hurst (calf) is on track to play in Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.
Coach Zac Taylor relayed that Hurst, who was limited Thursday, had a good practice Friday, which sets the stage for the tight end to be available versus Kansas City. The Bengals' final injury report will clarify both Hurst's participation level Friday, as well as whether or not he carries an official injury designation into the weekend.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Added to injury report
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Hurst (calf) was limited at practice Thursday, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
Hurst practiced fully Wednesday, so the tight end's addition to the Bengals' injury report makes his status worth tracking as Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs approaches. He dealt with a calf issue back in December, but it's unclear if his listed limitations Thursday are indicative of a setback in practice or a case of workload management.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Scores in Sunday's win
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Hurst caught five of six targets for 59 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-10 win over the Bills in the AFC divisional round.
Hurst capped Cincinnati's second series with a 15-yard touchdown catch after running wide open. The tight end later helped quarterback Joe Burrow move the sticks consistently , nearly leading the team in receiving yards on a snowy day. Next up for Hurst and the Bengals is a meeting against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. In facing Kansas City during Week 13 of the regular season, Hurst caught only two passes for 12 yards in a 27-24 win.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Nearly scores in postseason win
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Hurst caught four of six targets for 45 yards and lost a fumble in Sunday's 24-17 wild-card round win over the Ravens.
Hurst had a couple of breaks go against him in this one. He lost a fumble in the second quarter and had a touchdown reversed on replay, coming just short of the goal line on an 18-yard catch. The tight end finished second on the team in receiving yards behind Ja'Marr Chase (84) while tying Tee Higgins for second behind Chase in both targets and catches. Hurst seems to have put his late-season calf injury behind him heading into the Bengals' trip to Buffalo for the AFC divisional round.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Modest production in win
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Hurst caught four of five targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 27-16 win over the Ravens.
After missing the Bengals' previous three games with a calf injury, Hurst reclaimed his role as Cincinnati's top tight end. He played 73 percent of the Bengals' offensive snaps, and his four catches were third-most of any Cincinnati pass catcher. Hurst wrapped up the regular season with 52 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns on 68 targets across 13 appearances.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Practices fully, set to play Monday
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Hurst (calf) was a full practice participant Thursday, Andrew Gillis of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
The full session to open Week 17 prep sets the stage for Hurst to make his return to the lineup after missing the Bengals' last three games with the calf injury. Assuming he experiences no setbacks as the week rolls along, Hurst should reclaim his role as the Bengals' top tight end, sending Mitchell Wilcox back to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart in the process. In his 12 appearances on the season, Hurst has put together a 48-400-2 receiving line on 63 targets.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Likely to return for Week 17
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Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Tuesday that he's "very optimistic" Hurst (calf) will be available for Monday's game against the Bills, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Even though Taylor said Hurst had a "good week" of practices last Tuesday through Thursday, the tight end proceeded to sit out Saturday's 22-18 win over the Patriots, marking his third consecutive absence. The Bengals may have just wanted to exercise some caution with Hurst by holding him out Week 16, but once he gets the chance to pick up some more practice reps and regain conditioning, the 29-year-old looks like he'll be on pace to play Monday night. Through his first 12 appearances of the season, Hurst cobbled together a 48-400-2 receiving line on 63 targets.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Won't play Saturday
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Hurst (calf) has been downgraded to out for Saturday's game against the Patriots.
Hurst was initially deemed questionable for the contest after practicing in a limited capacity this week, but he's now slated to miss his third straight game. In his continued absence, Mitchell Wilcox is in line to start at tight end for the Bengals on Saturday, an assignment that led to him securing all three of his targets for 34 yards and a touchdown in the team's Week 15 win over the Buccaneers.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Questionable for Saturday
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Hurst (calf) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Patriots after practicing in a limited fashion this week.
Ben Baby of ESPN.com previously noted that the tight end feels ready to return to action Saturday, but Hurst's status won't be confirmed until the Bengals' inactive lis is posted 90 minutes prior to the 1 p.m. ET kickoff. If Hurst ends up out or limited this weekend, Mitchell Wilcox would be in line to see added snaps versus New England.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Hoping to play this week
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Hurst (calf) was a limited practice participant Wednesday and said he's preparing to play Saturday against the Patriots, ESPN.com's Ben Baby reports.
Hurst missed the past two games after injuring his calf in a Week 13 win over the Chiefs on Dec. 4. Mitchell Wilcox played 79 and 91 percent of snaps with Hurst out, catching four of five targets for 44 yards and a touchdown across the two games. After back-to-back days being listed as limited, Hurst will have one more chance Thursday to upgrade to full participation before Saturday's game.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Listed as LP
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Hurst (calf) was present for Tuesday's walkthrough and was listed as a limited participant on the practice report estimate, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
It's a sign of progress after back-to-back absences, though far from a guarantee Hurst will be ready for Saturday's game at New England. Mitchell Wilcox has played more than 70 percent of offensive snaps in three straight games for Cincinnati, and while he's been targeted only six times in that stretch, he did score a TD in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. Even so, a healthy Hurst is much more useful to the Cincinnati passing game.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Sits out another practice
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Hurst (calf) was working out off to the side during Thursday's practice and will be listed as a non-participant, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.
Hurst hasn't joined the Bengals' healthy players for either of their first two practices and looks on track to sit out his second straight game Sunday at Tampa Bay, which head coach Zac Taylor suggested would be the case when he spoke to the media Wednesday. Assuming Hurst remains out again this weekend, Mitchell Wilcox will be on track to make another start, though don't expect him to be as involved in the passing game as Hurst has been when available this season.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Not likely to play Sunday
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Head coach Zac Taylor acknowledged Wednesday that it "seems doubtful" that Hurst (calf) will be able to play Sunday against the Buccaneers, Marisa Contipelli of the Bengals' official site reports.
Taylor previously described Hurst as week-to-week, and the tight end is trending toward missing his second straight game. In Hurst's absence this past Sunday against the Browns, Mitchell Wilcox filled in as a starter and caught one of his two targets for 10 yards.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Remains week-to-week
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Coach Zac Taylor said Monday that Hurst (calf) remains week-to-week, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Hurst sat out Week 14 due to a calf injury he suffered during the Bengals' Week 13 win over the Chiefs. It doesn't sound like he's made much progress at this point, but Wednesday's initial injury report could provide some clarity on his status. Hurst didn't practice at all last week, so any participation during Week 15 prep will be be a step in the right direction.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Sitting out Week 14
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Hurst (calf) won't play Sunday against the Browns.
Hurst will miss his first game of the season after sustaining the right calf injury late in the Bengals' Week 13 win over the Chiefs. The 29-year-old recently received a platelet-rich plasma injection for the calf and said he expects to return to action in a couple weeks, which suggests he may not be a lock to play in the Bengals' Week 15 game against the Buccaneers either. At least for this Sunday's contest, the Bengals are expected to turn to Mitchell Wilcox to handle most of the reps at tight end.
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Bengals' Hayden Hurst: Suffers calf injury Sunday
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Hurst exited Sunday's game against the Chiefs after suffering a right calf injury, Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Prior to leaving the contest, Hurst had caught two of his three targets for 12 yards. In his absence, Mitchell Wilcox is next in line for Cincinnati's tight end targets.
