Former Cleveland Browns Playmaker Works Out With New England Patriots

A former Cleveland Browns tight end has gotten a workout with the New England Patriots.

Aug 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (83) runs the ball while slipping a tackle by Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward (20) during the third quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns decided to cut tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden when they trimmed their roster down to 53 players, and now, he may be finding another home.

ESPN's Mike Reiss is reporting that the New England Patriots worked out Mitchell-Paden on Friday. The Patriots currently have Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper and Jaheim Bell on their depth chart.

Henry is clearly New England's No. 1 tight end, but the No. 2 spot could be up for grabs. Hooper is far from the same player he once was during his Atlanta Falcons days, and Bell is a seventh-round pick.

Mitchell-Paden had a legitimate chance to land a spot on the Browns' roster, but Cleveland elected to only keep two tight ends: David Njoku and Jordan Akins.

To be fair, Mitchell-Paden is entirely unproven, as he has never caught a pass in an NFL regular-season game. But there is no doubt that the 25-year-old has talent.

Mitchell-Paden played his collegiate football at both Notre Dame and Florida Atlantic. He began his NCAA career with the Fighting Irish in 2017 but did not carve out a significant role until his sophomore campaign, when he caught 32 passes for 435 yards and four touchdowns.

The following year, Mitchell-Paden hauled in 53 receptions for 573 yards and six scores.

He then transferred to Florida Atlantic and did not make much of an impact with the Owls, but he showed considerable promise in South Bend.

Perhaps Mitchell-Paden will got a shot to prove his worth with the Patriots or some other NFL team.