The Seahawks‘ Will Dissly contract — a three-year, $24MM deal featuring nearly $16MM in total guarantees — surprised most, but the injury-prone tight end indeed generated interest outside of Seattle. The Broncos and Buccaneers were two of Dissly’s other suitors, according to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, who detailed the former fourth-round pick’s path to that $8MM-per-year contract. Dissly, who experienced early-career injuries and put up light receiving statistics in his two healthy years (45 receptions, 482 yards since 2020), was both concerned about his free agency value and wondering if he would need to wait a bit into free agency for teams to take care of higher-priority players, Jude adds. But Dissly struck a deal on Day 1 of the legal tampering period, re-signing with a Seahawks team that had acquired Noah Fant days earlier.

A reunion with Russell Wilson in Denver was on the table, per Jude, who notes another offer Dissly received was “in the ballpark” of what Seattle proposed. At least six teams expressed interest as well, though it sounds like the Broncos were the Seahawks’ top competitor here. But the team, valuing Dissly as a blocker, made the Washington alum a priority. The Broncos drafted Greg Dulcich in Round 3 a month later.

Here is the latest from the tight end scene:

• With C.J. Uzomah out of the picture, Drew Sample‘s Bengals role figures to expand a bit. But the defending AFC champions will be without Sample for a bit. Sample suffered a knee injury recently, and although Zac Taylor said the fourth-year pass catcher will likely be out multiple weeks, ESPN.com’s Ben Baby tweets. Sample may be dealing with an MCL sprain, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Bengals have Sample, a former second-round pick in a contract year, and signed former first-rounder Hayden Hurst to replace Uzomah.
• The Texans did not generate much from their tight end spot last season; Jordan Akins‘ 214 receiving yards led the position group. The team let Akins sign with the Giants in free agency and did not add a notable replacement. Lovie Smith‘s squad is planning to open the season with veteran Pharaoh Brown as the starter here, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes. Brown, who re-signed with the Texans this offseason on a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, caught 23 passes for just 171 yards last season. The Texans have 2021 fifth-round pick Brevin Jordan and used a fifth-rounder this year on Teagan Quitoriano. Both young players will defer to Brown, a sixth-year presence, to start the season.
• In addition to Akins, the Giants have Ricky Seals-Jones and fourth-round pick Daniel Bellinger — already a starter candidate — at tight end. Rookie UDFAs Jeremiah Hall and Andre Miller have each gotten fullback snaps with the first-team offense during training camp, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan (subscription required). This marks a notable shift for Miller, a wide receiver at Division I-FCS Maine. Post-Evan Engram, this remains one of the NFL’s most uncertain tight end groups.