Picking at the bottom of the waiver wire meant the Patriots were unlikely to get many players they were looking at, and that might explain why they were only awarded two players on Monday afternoon.
One of the newest additions to their roster is tight end Cameron Latu, a third-round pick in 2023 by the 49ers who spent last season with the Eagles. Before that, he was with the Browns on their practice squad, the same year Mike Vrabel spent the season in Cleveland, so that connection might have helped him land in New England.
At first glance, it looks like Latu could be the next TE3 behind Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon, and that might be true. But so far, he's mostly been a core special-teamer or a halfback from the backfield, which affects a different rookie's future.
UDFA Tanner Arkin made the Patriots' initial 53-man roster, and although it wasn't all that surprising, given he had a standout summer, it didn't seem like he would remain there come Week 1, given how inexperienced the tight end room is.
Now that Latu joins the team, it would be fair to assume he will boot Arkin to the practice squad.
Cameron Latu is about to send a rookie to the practice squad after Patriots claim him from the waiver wire
Continuing the tradition Bill Belichick started a quarter century ago, Mike Vrabel loves to roster versatile players, particularly for special teams, and Latu fits to a T.
That, coupled with his impressive final season at Alabama, where he recorded 56 passes for 787 yards with 12 touchdowns, shows he can be a viable threat in the passing game, as well. But his special teams skills might be all that it takes to move Arkin to the practice squad.
Because Brenden Schooler is going to miss the first four games of the season, it was crucial for the Patriots to add more help to the third unit, and that is a door that Latu now walks through.
At the same time, he also provides a bit more experience to the tight end room, even if he has only played in 15 regular-season games and started two during his career so far. Given his size, there's also a chance he could be another body on the offensive line to help block, similar to what most expect from fullback Reggie Gilliam.
Regardless, his arrival doesn't bode well for Arkin's future. But the good thing is that the rookie showed a lot of promise this summer, so if he heads to the practice squad, he has time to develop and earn his way back to the game-day roster.
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