What waiving Mitch Van Vooren means for the Patriots

The New England Patriots recently waived tight end Mitch Van Vooren after Greg Van Roten signed as a free agent, signaling the team's move to maintain roster limits. Van Vooren, a 25-year-old second-year player, had limited playing time in the preseason opener and throughout his time with the team, which made his release predictable.

With Van Vooren out of the picture, the Patriots now have just five tight ends on their active roster: Hunter Henry, Eli Raridon, Tanner Arkin, Jack Westover, and C.J. Dippre. Out of these five, Henry and Raridon are expected to make the final 53-man roster, leaving three tight ends to compete for the remaining spots. The rookie undrafted player, Tanner Arkin, seems to be the frontrunner despite his less-active start to his rookie training camp.

The Patriots will have to observe how his and other backups perform to determine the final roster composition. There is no salary cap impact from the waiver of Van Vooren, as the one-year, non-guaranteed contract of $885,000 did not affect the team's salary cap. However, the signing of Van Roten, who will now earn a one-year contract with a $3 million base salary and potentially additional incentives, shifts the financial dynamics for the Patriots.