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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 23: Tight end Marshall Lang #88, tight ends Duke Olges #98, tight end Camp Mcgee #18, and kicker Henry Helms #94 of the Northwestern Wildcats pose following the team's 14-7 victory against the Utah Utes during the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on December 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/Getty Images)

A former Seattle Seahawks tight end is getting a new NFC opportunity after a brief stop with the New England Patriots.

The Minnesota Vikings announced Tuesday that they signed tight end Marshall Lang, who entered the NFL with Seattle as an undrafted rookie in 2025. Lang later spent time with the Patriots, including practice squad stints and a futures contract, before New England released him in late April.

Now, Lang will try to turn his next chance into staying power in Minnesota.

The Vikings also signed defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie while waiving offensive tackle Caleb Etienne and defensive lineman Monkell Goodwine. For Seahawks fans, Lang is the familiar name from the group, not because he became a major contributor in Seattle, but because he was part of the team’s recent undrafted free agent pipeline. He also becomes the latest Seahawks-to-Minnesota-move under new Vikings GM, and former Seattle Seahawks executive, Nolan Teasley.

Lang’s arrival gives Minnesota another tight end for the final stretch of its offseason program and into training camp, where depth players can earn preseason snaps, practice squad consideration and a longer NFL look.

Marshall Lang Lands With Vikings After Seahawks, Patriots Stops

Lang’s NFL path has already taken him through three organizations.

The Cincinnati native joined the Seahawks as an undrafted rookie in 2025 after a five-year college career at Northwestern. He did not become part of Seattle’s long-term roster picture, but the initial Seahawks opportunity gave him his first NFL entry point.

Lang later moved on to New England, where he had two practice squad stints during the season. The Patriots signed him to a futures contract in February before releasing him in late April.

That makes the Vikings his latest opportunity, and his first NFC stop since beginning his career in Seattle.

Lang is listed at 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds, giving him the size teams look for at tight end during the offseason roster-building process. At Northwestern, he appeared in 51 games over five seasons and totaled 48 catches for 491 yards and four touchdowns. He also had one carry for 3 yards in his final college season.

Those numbers do not suggest a plug-and-play receiving threat, but that is not usually the immediate path for undrafted tight ends. Players in Lang’s position typically need to show they can handle blocking assignments, contribute on special teams and give the offense reliable depth through camp.

Vikings Give Lang a Crowded but Real Opportunity

Lang will not have an easy path to a Vikings roster spot.

Minnesota’s tight end room already includes T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Gavin Bartholomew, Ben Yurosek and Bryson Nesbit. Hockenson gives the Vikings an established receiving option at the position, while Oliver has been a regular part of the offense because of his blocking ability.

That means Lang’s first challenge is not to jump straight into a major role. It is to prove he belongs in the mix long enough to make the Vikings keep evaluating him.

For players on the back end of a 90-man roster, timing matters. The final phase of the offseason program, training camp practices and preseason games can create movement quickly. Injuries, special teams needs and practice performance all shape how teams build out their depth chart and practice squad.

Lang has already been through that process with the Seahawks and Patriots. His next chance comes with a Vikings team still sorting through its roster under a new front office.

Lang Has a Small Seahawks Connection in Minnesota

There is also a Seahawks-adjacent layer to Lang’s signing.

New Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley spent 13 seasons with Seattle before Minnesota named him GM on June 1. Lang’s short Seahawks stint came while Teasley was still part of the organization.

Lang still has to win a job on a crowded depth chart. But personnel familiarity can matter with end-of-roster additions, especially when a front office is trying to identify players worth bringing into camp.

For Seattle, Lang’s move is not a roster-altering development. The Seahawks had already moved on, and the team’s current tight end outlook is not affected by his signing in Minnesota.