The Patriots announced they signed free-agent tight end Mitchell Wilcox on Monday.

Wilcox was in a group of veteran tight ends who worked out for the Patriots late last week. Wilcox, who went undrafted out of South Florida in 2020, spent the first four years of his career with the Bengals. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound pass catcher has caught 29 passes for 211 yards with one touchdown in his NFL career.

The Patriots needed tight end depth with just Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper and La’Michael Pettway on their roster. Wilcox could serve as the team’s third option if they don’t address the position in the draft.

Signing Wilcox now takes pressure off the Patriots to select a tight end with one of their eight picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.