NFLTradeRumors.co’s Tuesday roundup of NFL transactions (Aug. 18) includes two moves that matter to New England fans: the Patriots have waived tight end Mitchell Van Vooren and signed guard Greg Van Roten. Both entries were reported by Nate Bouda on Aug. 18, 2026, and are listed among a broader set of roster actions around the league.
NFL transactions: Patriots notebook — Van Vooren waived, Van Roten signed
Per the NFLTradeRumors.co list by Nate Bouda (Aug. 18, 2026), New England placed two entries on Tuesday’s transaction wire. Tight end Mitchell Van Vooren is listed as waived, while the club reportedly added veteran guard Greg Van Roten. These are reported league transactions and should be treated as such until the Patriots post an official team confirmation.
From a roster perspective, waiving a developmental tight end reduces the number of players competing in camp reps and in preseason game opportunities at that spot. The Patriots’ tight end group centers on veteran starter Hunter Henry, and depth behind him is typically decided through a mix of veteran and young-player reps, special-teams value and preseason performance. Van Vooren’s removal from the active roster sheet narrows that competition; whether he is claimed on waivers, signed to a practice squad or released outright will determine how meaningful the move proves.
Signing a veteran interior lineman like Greg Van Roten is a common preseason pattern: teams add experienced guards to shore up camp depth, cover potential injuries and provide a steady option for short-notice roster needs. While the transaction list does not specify contract length or role, a signing of this type typically aims to bolster competition for backup guard snaps and to provide an experienced hand during positional drills and preseason games. How long Van Roten remains on the roster will depend on camp evaluations, preseason game reps and any injury developments along the offensive line.
It is important to emphasize uncertainty: a waived player can be claimed by another club, revert to injured reserve under specific circumstances, or be re-signed to the original team’s practice squad if he clears waivers. Similarly, a veteran signing may be a temporary measure. Patriots Report will not assume final roster status until the team makes an official announcement or additional reliable outlets confirm subsequent moves.
NFL transactions roundup: full list (Aug. 18)
Below is a concise, source-grounded list of notable moves from Nate Bouda’s Aug. 18 NFLTradeRumors.co transaction post. This is not exhaustive of every action leaguewide but highlights items called out in the source.
- San Francisco 49ers: waived DE K.J. Henry and DE Titus Leo; signed DT Evan Anderson.
- Chicago Bears: reverted TE Nikola Kalinic to injured reserve after he cleared waivers.
- Cleveland Browns: waived G Jack Conley; signed WR Ben Patterson; reverted TE Brenden Bates to IR after waivers.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: released DB Chase Lucas; reverted DB Marcus Banks and RB Kadarius Calloway to IR after waivers.
- Arizona Cardinals: released TE Kenny Yeboah.
- Indianapolis Colts: waived WR E.J. Horton and T Bayron Matos; signed T Roy Mbaeteka, TE Tyler Moore, and T Trey Wedig; placed TE Carson Towt on IR.
- Washington Commanders: waived K Jake Moody, released P Matt Haack; signed LB Krys Barnes, DT Maurice Hurst, TE Tre’ McKitty, and RB Craig Reynolds; placed WR River Cracraft and RB Jerome Ford on IR.
- Dallas Cowboys: signed LB Von Miller. Miami Dolphins: waived DE Mason Reiger, signed DE Seth Coleman.
- Atlanta Falcons: signed LB Za’Darius Smith.
- New York Giants: released WR JuJu Smith-Schuster and DB Sam Webb; signed RB Najee Harris; reverted RB Dante Miller to IR after waivers.
- New York Jets: waived DT Ben Barten and DE Kingsley Jonathan; signed DB Keenan Garber and DE Nate Lynn.
- Green Bay Packers: claimed DE Arden Walker off waivers from the Vikings.
- Los Angeles Rams: waived WR Mario Williams; signed WR Alex Bachman.
- Baltimore Ravens: waived DB Jahquez Robinson; signed T David Sharpe.
- Tennessee Titans: reverted LB Sean Brown to IR after he cleared waivers.
Patriots transactions — Aug. 18, 2026
What this means for the Patriots’ preseason roster
In summer camp, small moves like these usually influence competition rather than immediately altering the starting lineup. Waiving a developmental tight end narrows preseason reps for the position-group rotation; younger tight ends and special-teams contributors may see an uptick in opportunities to showcase blocking and receiving chops during preseason contests. Patriots coaching staff, led by head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, will use remaining practice windows and preseason snaps to evaluate those players under game conditions.
For the offensive line, adding a veteran guard provides an insurance policy against injury and can speed up in-practice communication by adding a seasoned presence. Even if Van Roten’s role begins as depth, such signings sometimes lead to short-term stability if an active lineman is injured or underperforms in live reps. Ultimately, the carrying decisions ahead of roster cutdowns will reflect how veterans and young players perform in preseason action and which players contribute on special teams.
Patriots fans should watch the waiver wire and official team releases over the next 24–72 hours. Claimed players, re-signings to practice squads or reversions to injured reserve would change the status of these transactions; until then, maintain caution and treat the moves as reported transactions rather than final roster designations.
Source attribution and next steps
This roundup draws from the NFLTradeRumors.co transaction post by Nate Bouda published Aug. 18, 2026. For the original list and timestamps, see the source: NFLTradeRumors.co — NFL Transactions: Tuesday 8/18 (Nate Bouda, Aug. 18, 2026).
Patriots Report will update this story if New England posts official confirmations or if follow-up moves (claims, practice-squad signings, reversions to injured reserve) are reported by reliable sources. Until team confirmations arrive, treat roster impact analysis as informed context rather than definitive roster status.
