New England Patriots Waiver Profile: A Closer Look at Tight End Cameron Latu

The New England Patriots added more depth to the 53-man roster via waivers on Monday.

New England’s tight end room took time to reconfigure this offseason, ultimately entering the 2026 season with a veteran leader accompanied by two rookies. Promising camp developments aside, the Patriots lacked experience beyond the top of the depth chart and had previously expressed interest in exploring the market at the position. That curiosity resulted in a waiver claim on Monday, supplementing the group with a former Day 2 draft pick from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here’s what you need to know about the latest addition to New England’s’ offensive arsenal, Cameron Latu:

Latu, 26, was originally selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third-round (No. 101 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft.

After spending his rookie season on injured reserve due to a torn meniscus suffered in Week 3 of the preseason, Latu was released by San Francisco ahead of the 2024 regular season and spent the year with the Cleveland Browns practice squad. Philadelphia signed Latu to a futures contract on January 21, 2025 and he started the year on the practice squad before being signed to the 53-man roster. He played in 15 games with the Eagles last year.

As a prospect with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Latu played in 50 career collegiate games and recorded 56 receptions, 787 receiving yards (14.1 yards per reception), and 12 touchdowns during his final two seasons. He was renowned as an effective move-blocker, and his role in Philadelphia in 2025 mirrored that usage, minus the production as a pass-catcher (no targets on 36 passing snaps).

At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Latu measured in at 6’4 ⅜”, 242 pounds, with 32 ⅜” arms and 9 ½” hands. He opted to work out at Alabama’s Pro Day, and finished with the following results: 4.78 second 40-yard dash (1.66 second 10-yard split), 32.5” vertical jump, 10’ broad jump, 4.32 second 20-yard shuttle, and 7.31 second three-cone drill. Those testing metrics earned him a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 6.25, ranking 410th of 1,091 tight end prospects from 1987-2023.

Latu joins a tight end group led by veteran Hunter Henry and rounded out by rookies Eli Raridon (third round, No. 95 overall) and Tanner Arkin (undrafted free agent). 

Having Henry at the top of the depth chart was the expectation entering 2026, and that will continue to be the case after the steady target signed an extension this offseason. Behind him, the room has undergone several evolutions through the offseason — beginning with the departure of Austin Hooper in free agency to the Atlanta Falcons and the addition of Julian Hill from the Miami Dolphins as his replacement.

That plan took a turn when Hill was placed on season-ending injured reserve in the early offseason program, and the lasting ramifications of that subtraction permeated throughout the preseason.

While the Patriots preached caution with their starters, a window opened for more significant contributions from Raridon and Arkin in training camp practices and preseason games. In large part, they made the most of those chances and earned a lasting place on the roster. The loss of Hill — and New England’s original plan for his use in the offense — was made apparent in live action. 

Without fullback Reggie Gilliam on the field during exhibition bouts, the Patriots’ offense didn’t deviate from using formations that featured two backs in the backfield. Instead, they shifted Arkin off of his usual home on the line of scrimmage to act as a Gilliam replacement — much like their usage of Jack Westover last season. Arkin looked out-of-place in the backfield, but the same can’t be said about Latu.

In Philadelphia, Latu saw the vast majority of his snaps on offense come as an h-back or offset tight end. His movement skills were used effectively as a lead blocker out of the backfield or moving laterally across the formation in zone-running schemes. Likely the plan for Hill early in the offseason, New England was previously lacking a direct substitute to fill that role prior to Latu’s signing. Now, that could be a package designed especially for him.

Also a valuable special teams contributor in 2025, Latu’s highlight of the year came in the third phase of the game. He blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With massive turnover on those units for the Patriots, Latu could carve out a significant role with the specialists in addition to his contributions on offense. 

Latu’s acquisition takes pressure off of both rookies in the tight end room to immediately see the field as blockers, and that may hold true for Henry on early downs, as well. He projects to rotate in at a variety of positions, and may fill the role initially designed for Hill — albeit to a lesser degree. Latu has the potential to work his way into a niche role in the offense, but could just as easily be a flier on a player they wanted to see for an extended visit as the tight end group takes form. We’ll see how he’s deployed.

Where do you think Cameron Latu fits into the tight end rotation in Foxboro? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.

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