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Mitch Van Vooren fantasy football news and podcast insights

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WRNE40 insightsLatest Aug 24, 2026
5
Positive signals
8
Negative signals
2
Sources
Aug 24, 2026
Latest update
NegativeDepth ChartAug 18, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
The Patriots waived second-year tight end Mitch Van Vooren in response to signing veteran offensive lineman Greg Van Roten, a move the source characterizes as unsurprising given Van Vooren's minimal preseason usage. Van Vooren played just three snaps in the preseason opener against the Colts without registering statistics, plus two additional snaps on special teams, indicating he faced a major uphill battle for both the 53-man roster and practice squad.
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NegativeDepth ChartAug 18, 2026Pats Pulpit
Waived by the Patriots on Tuesday following the signing of veteran offensive lineman Greg Van Roten; the move opened a roster spot ahead of joint practices with Philadelphia. Van Vooren, a 25-year-old undrafted free agent signed in July, appeared in the preseason opener against Indianapolis, catching one pass for four yards on five total snaps (offense and special teams). He spent his 2025 rookie summer with Seattle and Cleveland after posting 33 receptions, 510 yards, and 10 touchdowns as a graduate student at St. Norbert College in 2024.
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NegativeDepth ChartAug 18, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
The Patriots waived tight end Mitch Van Vooren on Tuesday to open a roster spot after signing veteran offensive lineman Greg Van Roten. Van Vooren, 25, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound undrafted free agent from 2025 who spent his rookie summer with Seattle and Cleveland, caught one pass for four yards from rookie quarterback Behren Morton in the preseason opener versus Indianapolis, seeing five snaps between offense and special teams in a 13-13 tie. New England's tight end depth chart now includes five players: team captain Hunter Henry, rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin, returning Jack Westover, and C.J. Dippre.
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NegativeBustJul 28, 2026Pats Pulpit
Van Vooren's primary weakness is his rawness despite possessing NFL-caliber athleticism. His only significant football experience since high school comprises 22 games against Division III opposition, leaving his route running lacking nuance, his route tree underdeveloped, and his technical repeatability against man coverage unproven. He won mostly through superior athleticism in college—an advantage he cannot rely on against NFL competition. Additionally, he went undrafted in 2025, was not treated as a hot commodity in rookie free agency, received no contract offer from the Browns' rookie minicamp, and spent the entire 2025 season as a free agent after brief stints with Seattle and Cleveland.
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PositiveBreakoutJul 28, 2026Pats Pulpit
Van Vooren's athletic profile is described as 'mouth-watering,' combining decent size (6'4.5", 255 lbs) with straight-line speed to get behind defenders on seams and go routes, plus leaping ability from his hurdling background to compete in jump-ball and contested-catch situations. His long arms (8 3/8" hands, 33 1/8" arm length, 81" wingspan) allow him to make catches outside his natural frame. He also demonstrates good feel for tempo, concentration on back-shoulder throws, alignment flexibility, and feisty blocking with active hands at the point of attack.
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NegativeProjectionJul 28, 2026Pats Pulpit
The source assesses Van Vooren's growth potential as dependent on developing his raw skill set. At age 25 with only limited football experience, he remains underdeveloped and has yet to perform up to his athletic abilities in the NFL. With more time in a pro-level program, he could compete for a backup inline/H-back role, but the source frames this as an open question: 'Will he ever do so?' His 2026 outlook centers on proving himself worthy of practice squad development rather than pushing for an active roster spot.
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NegativeRoleJul 28, 2026Pats Pulpit
Van Vooren joined the Patriots as a camp body and practice squad candidate on a one-year, non-guaranteed $885,000 minimum deal. The source projects his 2026 role as a rotational flex tight end capable of filling multiple spots in the lineup, with potential to compete for a backup inline/H-back role if he develops. However, his roster outlook is described as 'quite bleak' given his underdeveloped status, limited football experience (only 22 Division III games before 2025), and late arrival before training camp; other tight ends on the roster are in better position to fill the depth void behind Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon.
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NegativeBustJul 28, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Despite possessing the athleticism needed to compete at the NFL level, Van Vooren remains very raw given only 22 games of significant football experience against Division III opposition since high school. His route running lacks nuance, his route tree is underdeveloped, and he has not shown technical repeatability to shake free from man coverage; he won mostly through superior athleticism in college—something he cannot count on against NFL competition.
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PositiveBreakoutJul 28, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Van Vooren combines decent size (6'4½", 255 lbs) with a mouth-watering athletic skillset; he has straight-line speed to get behind defenders down the seam or on go routes, leaping ability as a former hurdler to compete in jump-ball and contested-catch situations, and long arms (8⅜" hands, 81" wingspan) allowing catches outside his natural frame. He also shows good feel for tempo, good concentration on back-shoulder throws, and is alignment-flexible with ability to move around the formation as both receiver and blocker.
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PositiveRoleJul 23, 2026Pats Pulpit
Signed by the Patriots as tight end depth ahead of training camp; the source notes tight end was specifically mentioned by head coach Mike Vrabel as a position that could see further talent infusion. Van Vooren brings an intriguing athletic background despite not being invited to the Scouting Combine: the 6-foot-5, 255-pounder was a standout track athlete who set school records in the 400-meter hurdles at both St. Norbert and Marquette, was voted to the All-Big East Outdoor team in 2022, and named first-team All-American in 2023. He enters as a depth piece and possible camp body, giving the Patriots extra options to evaluate with over a month until the 53-man roster deadline.
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