The New England Patriots made another brutal roster move on Tuesday, officially waiving tight end Mitch Van Vooren to open up a spot after agreeing to terms with veteran offensive lineman Greg Van Roten. Man, the preseason grind is real, and this move tells you everything about how tight these rosters are.
One Pass, Five Snaps: Not Enough to Stick
Van Vooren, who’s 25, only signed with the Patriots back in July after a workout, likely hoping to make a serious push for a spot. He got his chance in last week’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, managing to snag one pass for four yards from rookie quarterback Behren Morton during what ended up being a 13-13 tie. Five snaps total, split between offense and special teams, simply isn’t enough to stand out and lock down a roster spot when the competition is absolutely cutthroat in August. It’s a harsh reality check for any player trying to make it.
From Seahawks Tryout to Track Star: Van Vooren’s Wild Ride
For us here in the Emerald City, Van Vooren’s name might actually ring a faint bell, which is pretty wild. This dude entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and, get this, he spent his rookie summer bouncing between our very own Seattle Seahawks and the Cleveland Browns! Talk about trying to find a home in the league. Before that, he was a first-team All-NACC grad student from St. Norbert, putting up some serious college numbers: 33 receptions for 510 yards and 10 touchdowns. And wait, there’s more: he started his collegiate career at Marquette as a track athlete, not football, and even broke a school record in the 400-meter hurdles with a ridiculous 51.38-second time. That kind of raw athleticism is undeniable, but it still wasn’t enough to keep him on an NFL roster this deep into the preseason.
What’s Next for the Pats (and the Guys Still Fighting)
This roster shuffle means the Patriots’ tight end depth chart moving forward still features team captain Hunter Henry, alongside rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin, plus Jack Westover and C.J. Dippre. The organization needed to keep that 91-man roster right at capacity ahead of their upcoming joint practices in Foxborough with the Philadelphia Eagles. Those are kicking off at 10:15 a.m. ET on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a 7 p.m. ET preseason kickoff at Gillette Stadium on Saturday against those same Eagles. Every single snap, every drill, it all matters when guys are fighting tooth and nail for their NFL dreams, and Van Vooren’s journey hit another major roadblock.
So, as the Patriots get ready for a packed week of joint practices and another preseason battle, the stakes couldn’t be higher for everyone on that field. For Van Vooren, it’s a tough break, a stark reminder of how quickly an NFL dream can change in this league. You gotta feel for the guy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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