Patriots tight end workouts were held at Gillette Stadium on Monday, when New England brought in four free-agent prospects for a group evaluation, according to the NFL transaction wire and a PatsPulpit report. The visitors listed by those sources were Devin Culp, Tanner Conner, Lance Mason and Patrick Murtagh — a mix of younger developmental pieces and experienced depth bodies the Patriots examined after Sunday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This article summarizes the visit, offers concise player snapshots grounded in source facts, explains the immediate roster context in Foxborough, and flags what to watch next on the transaction wire. All roster statuses and injury notes below are attributed to the NFL transaction wire or PatsPulpit; any absence of an official club announcement means outcomes remain tentative until posted publicly.
Player snapshots: quick take on each tight end
Below are concise mini-profiles grouped for quick reading. Each item uses only facts cited in the NFL transaction wire or PatsPulpit’s coverage of the visits.
Devin Culp — A 6-foot-3, 237-pound tight end taken in the seventh round of the 2024 draft, Culp ran a 4.47 40-yard dash at the Combine and spent time with Tampa Bay. Source notes list 18 NFL game appearances in his pro ledger, and a brief practice-squad stay after the August roster deadline. Culp’s profile figures as a combination of special-teams value and upside as a multi-purpose tight end.
Tanner Conner — At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, Conner entered the league as an undrafted player in 2022. Transactions show he has moved between active rosters and practice squads, and that he left a futures contract with the New York Giants after the 2025 cutdowns. Prior NFL stops include time in the AFC East; sources attribute career receiving totals consistent with a role player rather than a primary offensive option.
Lance Mason — Mason is a 6-foot-3, 243-pound undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin (2026) who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after a productive final college season. Source coverage notes a season with Seattle through spring/summer, a waiver claim during camp and then a standard roster waiver at cutdown time. Mason presents the typical undrafted-into-the-nfl profile: recent college production, measurable size, and a need to translate that upside to the pro game.
Patrick Murtagh — A 6-foot-6, 250-pound developmental tight end from the International Player Pathway (IPP), Murtagh originally surfaced with Detroit in 2023. Sources report an injured reserve stint in 2024 and an exempt practice-squad membership in 2025; his contract was reported to have expired in February. Murtagh’s size and pathway background make him an evaluative candidate for teams seeking developmental length at the position.
Patriots tight end workouts: immediate roster impact
The visits came shortly after in-game developments that reduced New England’s immediate options at tight end. Rookie Eli Raridon left Sunday’s game with a thigh issue and did not return; rookie Tanner Arkin was listed inactive before kickoff. That sequence left veteran Hunter Henry and recent waiver claim Cameron Latu as the primary on-field tight-end options during the Week 2 matchup.
Patriots reporters noted the club had released Shane Zylstra prior to this slate of workouts, leaving the practice squad empty of tight ends at the moment. That absence is a practical reason to bring multiple candidates in for evaluation: teams often need quick practice help, injury insurance for game-week preparation, and short-term competition to keep veteran players sharp.
How the visits map to short-term needs
Bringing four free agents in on the same day allows coaches and evaluators to compare blocking technique, route-running, hands, special-teams readiness and current conditioning. None of the workouts should be read as a guarantee of a signing; the Patriots frequently audition multiple players after injuries or roster churn to identify the best practice-squad or short-term active-roster candidate.
Any signing, practice-squad addition, or corresponding roster move will be listed on the NFL transaction wire. Until a transaction posts publicly, the players who worked out remain free agents and candidates rather than rostered Patriots.
What this likely means for the practice squad and short-term signings
From a roster-management standpoint, the Patriots are most likely evaluating candidates for the practice squad or an immediate injury cover role. Practice-squad additions are common after in-game injuries, and the club’s decision will hinge on which player best fits special-teams needs, blocking assignments in the run game, and the ability to pick up the playbook quickly for a potential elevation.
Coaches may also use these workouts to vet a player for a longer look: a practice-squad addition that transitions into an active role if injuries persist. Given the tight timeline between Week 2 and upcoming game preparation, teams often prioritize readiness and special-teams value when choosing the short-term add.
Source, verification and what to watch next
This update is grounded in the NFL transaction wire and a PatsPulpit report that listed the four visitors and tied the visits to the Week 2 game context at Gillette Stadium. Readers should treat injury descriptions and secondhand reports as provisional until the Patriots post an official injury report or the NFL transaction wire posts a signing.
Source: PatsPulpit’s coverage of the visits and the NFL transaction wire. Read the original PatsPulpit report here: Patriots bring four tight ends in for workouts following win over Steelers (PatsPulpit).
What to watch next: Monitor the NFL transaction wire and the Patriots’ official injury reports for any practice-squad additions or roster adjustments involving tight ends. Until a transaction posts, the players who worked out remain free agents and evaluative candidates rather than contracted Patriots.
Verification note: We relied on the transaction wire and PatsPulpit for the list of visitors and recent roster notes; if you see multiple, conflicting social reports about injuries or X-ray results, treat those as unconfirmed until the team or the transaction wire issues an official update.
Next steps for readers: Keep an eye on the transaction wire in the 24–72 hours after workouts — that is the typical window for practice-squad signings or emergency elevations following in-game injuries. Patriots Report will update its coverage if the club posts an official signing involving any of the four tight ends named above.
