New England Patriots
The Patriots have already augmented their 53-man roster with several moves made on Monday afternoon.
Cameron Latu will add some additional depth at tight end for New England. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
August 31, 2026 | 2:57 PM
2 minutes to read
The Patriots made nearly 40 roster cuts over the weekend to get down to a 53-man squad by Sunday evening.
But New England was busy augmenting the roster once again on Monday, with the Patriots claiming a pair of players off the waiver wire while also reportedly adding some contingency plans on special teams.
According to the NFL transaction report, the Patriots claimed tight end Cameron Latu off waivers from the Eagles and linebacker Darius Muasau off waivers from the Giants.
In another move, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that New England is signing punter Mitch Wishnowsky to the practice squad — with the former Bills special teamer in Foxborough Monday for a physical.
Adding Latu and Muasau gives New England some added depth at tight end and linebacker — with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that the Patriots are also releasing linebacker K.J. Britt to free up a roster spot for Muasau.
Latu could potentially threaten the roster spot currently held by undrafted free agent Tanner Arkin, given that Latu’s strengths are rooted in his profile as a blocking tight end. The 26-year-old Latu was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the 49ers out of the University of Alabama.
Latu was a productive player in the collegiate ranks with the Crimson Tide (12 total touchdowns in his final two seasons), but he has yet to catch a regular-season pass as a pro.
The 6-foot-5, 244-pound tight end has appeared in 15 career games in the NFL — with a majority of his snaps coming on special teams (257).
Muasau, 25, was a 2024 sixth-round pick out of UCLA who has played 27 games in the NFL over the past two seasons with the Giants. During those 27 games (18 starts), he has amassed 106 tackles, one sack, one interception, and five tackles for loss.
The Patriots will need to make at least one more roster move to accommodate both waiver-wire pickups after releasing Britt — with punter Bryce Baringer or offensive lineman Ben Brown potentially placed on injured reserve to free up space.
Baringer’s health looms over New England’s decision to add another punter in Wishnowsky, who could be activated from the practice squad if the Patriots’ usual punter isn’t healthy enough for Week 1 against Seattle.
Wishnowsky, an Australian native, spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the 49ers before joining the Bills in 2025. Last season, the 34-year-old Wishnowsky punted 38 times for 1,723 yards — equating to a 45.3-yard average.
Elsewhere on the waiver wire, New England did lose one player — as cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr. was claimed by the Miami Dolphins.
Dial, a solid special-teams contributor who failed to carve out a regular role among New England’s backup corners, was the latest in a long line of 2024 draft picks to not pan out in Foxborough. Following Dial’s exit, the Patriots only have one player left on their roster from their eight-player 2024 draft class — Drake Maye.
New England has to be thrilled that they landed a franchise QB with the third-overall pick that year. But the Patriots’ ongoing woes regarding depth can be traced back to multiple whiffs in the draft over the last few years — be it under the watch of Bill Belichick or Eliot Wolf.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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