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Patriots Trim Roster To 53 Players

August 30th, 2022 at 6:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots cut down their roster to 53 players today. In the process, they let go of a handful of recent draft picks, including a 2022 selection:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

The Patriots acknowledged some of their previous draft mistakes today. The team let go of three 2021 draft picks in wide receiver Tre Nixon, linebacker Will Sherman, and linebacker Cameron McGrone, and they even let go of a 2022 draft pick in sixth-round running back Kevin Harris. However, perhaps the biggest move was releasing tight end end Devin Asiasi. After waiving fellow 2020 third-round tight end Dalton Keene earlier this month, Asiasi was let go today. Despite his third-round status, Asiasi only saw time in 10 games for the Patriots in two years. With Asiasi and Keene out of the picture, it was expected that Lil’Jordan Humphrey would make the squad as a hybrid WR/TE. However, for the time being, the Patriots will roll with only two tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.

Terrance Mitchell started 29 games over the past two seasons in stints with the Browns and Texans, and he had a chance to compete for a starting gig in New England. However, despite all the uncertainty surrounding the position, the veteran wasn’t able to make his mark, leading to a surprising release. Justin Bethel is another surprising cut, as the veteran has established himself as a special teams ace in recent years.

Patriots To Release CB Terrance Mitchell

August 30th, 2022 at 12:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots intend to part ways with one of their projected starters in the secondary. New England will release cornerback Terrance Mitchell today, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss (Twitter link).

The 30-year-old suffered the same fate in March, when the Texans moved on from him. That ended his one-year stay in Houston, during which he started 13 of 14 contests, totaling 60 tackles, one interception and 10 passes defensed. He allowed a sub-60% completion rate in coverage, but was responsible for five touchdowns allowed, the second-highest figure of his career in that regard.

Mitchell was initially slated to start on the outside for the Patriots alongside Jalen Mills. However, he lost his grip on a first-team spot, as New England made a number of moves at the position. One of those was a reunion with Malcolm Butler, though he has since been released as well. The team also lost Joejuan Williams to season-ending shoulder injury, leaving their CB depth a question mark.

Without Mitchell (not to mention J.C. Jackson, who inked a big-money deal with the Chargers in free agency), New England will move forward with Mills and Jonathan Jones on the perimeter, along with rookies Marcus Jones and Jack Jones as depth options. The absences of Butler and Williams could leave the Patriots as a logical landing spot for a late addition at the position.

New England is also waiving rookie RB Kevin Harris, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). The sixth-rounder took a step back in terms of production during his final season at South Carolina, but has an 1,138-yard, 15-touchdown campaign to his name. He will, presumably, be a practice squad candidate for the team to use as insurance behind Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Ty Montgomery and fellow rookie Pierre Strong Jr. 

Patriots Notes: Wynn, RBs, Thornton

August 28th, 2022 at 9:52am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots are reportedly open to trading OT Isaiah Wynn, who has been moved from left tackle to right tackle this year after lining up exclusively on the blindside over his first few seasons in the NFL (aside from a 2020 cameo at LG and some training camp work at RT as a rookie). As expected, however, outside interest in the former first-rounder is limited at this point, as Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets.

Although Wynn did play in 16 regular season contests in 2021, he comes with an extensive injury history. He is also tethered to a $10.4MM salary for 2022 since New England exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, and at least some teams consider him a tackle-guard “tweener.” All of that suggests that the Pats — who must also consider the injury history of LT Trent Brown and the underwhelming training camp performances of backups Justin Herron and Yodny Cajuste — may not fetch a high enough return to pull the trigger.

Now for more out of Foxborough:

  • Per Mike Giardi of the NFL Network, Brown was not told he would be lining up at left tackle when he re-signed with the Patriots this offseason (Twitter link). The 29-year-old has taken all of his snaps on the right side of the line since 2019, and one wonders if he would have signed the contract, which pays him $6.5MM per year over the next two years, if he had known he would be playing a premium position. Giardi also tweets that Wynn — perhaps as a result of a position switch in his platform year — is not a “happy camper,” so there is plenty of intrigue surrounding the team’s OL bookends in 2022.
  • As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes, Patriots running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris will be part of a timeshare this year, but as opposed to 2021, they are more likely to remain on the field on third downs. In light of James White‘s retirement, New England is unlikely to have a defined “passing down back,” and that is especially true in the wake of the ankle injury that Ty Montgomery suffered during the team’s preseason finale on Friday. Reiss notes in a separate piece that Montgomery seemed like a roster lock as a third option behind Stevenson and Harris, and the Pats are still awaiting word on the severity of his injury.
  • On Monday, rookie receiver Tyquan Thornton underwent surgery to repair his fractured clavicle, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. It was previously reported that Thornton is expected to return to the field sometime in October, and the six-to-eight-week recovery timeline that Fowler provides jibes with that report.
  • The injury that landed rookie OL Andrew Stueber on the reserve/NFI list is a torn hamstring, as Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reports (via Twitter). Stueber sustained the injury while training after the draft, and it could sideline him for his entire rookie season.

WR Dazz Newsome Auditions For Titans, Schedules Patriots Workout

August 27th, 2022 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears’ new regime cut the cord on wide receiver Dazz Newsome quickly, waiving the former sixth-round pick before his second season. Unclaimed on waivers, Newsome has generated interest as a free agency addition.

Newsome was part of a Titans workout Friday, Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus tweets, and is slated to audition for the Patriots on Sunday. While the North Carolina alum would make for an interesting flier, he will soon be competing with dozens of receivers in a similar position. Teams are required to cut down from 80 to 53 by 3pm CT Tuesday.

A four-year Tar Heels contributor, Newsome joined Javonte Williams, Michael Carter and Dyami Brown in a strong nucleus surrounding Sam Howell. Despite both Newsome and Brown surpassing 1,000 yards in 2019, with Brown at 1,034 and Newsome at 1,018, Washington took the latter in Round 3 last year. Newsome fell to pick 221.

Newsome primarily worked as a punt returner for the Bears last season, one that began after he suffered a broken collarbone in the offseason, but only played in three games. Newsome also spent time on the Bears’ practice squad. With P-squads still at 16 for the 2022 season, Newsome figures to have another opportunity soon.

The Patriots are down their second-round pick, wideout Tyquan Thornton, for an extended stretch because of a collarbone injury. Even with Thornton almost certain to begin the season on IR, the Pats still have a host of veterans — Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor and DeVante Parker — in line to be regulars.

The Titans have Robert Woods atop their depth chart and have seen nice early returns from fifth-round rookie Kyle Phillips. Treylon Burks has not been as quick to assimilate, but the first-round pick obviously remains a key part of the team’s future. Spot starter Nick Westbrook-Ikhine also remains in the picture for Tennessee, which made Jets wideout Vyncint Smith, ex-Panthers cornerback Troy Pride, 2021 Broncos fifth-round corner Jamar Johnson and quarterback Kurt Benkert part of Friday’s workout, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.

Patriots Release CB Malcolm Butler From IR

August 25th, 2022 at 6:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Malcolm Butler could play in 2022, after all. The Patriots released the veteran cornerback from IR with an injury settlement, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). It is a six-week injury settlement, Field Yates of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter), suggesting a recovery timetable that could allow for an October return.

Following a preseason opener where he got an extended look alongside backups, Butler was absent from practice before later landing on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. That transaction meant Butler wouldn’t be eligible to play for the Patriots during the 2022 campaign, although his two-year contract left the door open for a return in 2023. Instead, the two sides decided to move on, meaning the cornerback can now join another team and potentially play this upcoming season.

This officially ends Butler’s second stint in New England. His first stint saw him evolve from UDFA to Super Bowl hero following his game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLIX. Butler ended up spending four seasons in New England, earning a Pro Bowl nod and two Super Bowl rings (plus a major what-if SB loss where he was relegated to one special teams snap). He inked a five-year, $61MM deal with the Titans in 2018, and he made it three seasons through that deal before earning his walking papers following the 2020 season.

He caught on with the Cardinals prior to the 2021 campaign, but right before the start of the regular season, he announced that he was retiring from the NFL for personal reasons. Despite his time away, the Patriots clearly believed that he could still be productive when they gave him a two-year deal. Assuming Butler wants to stick around the league, a cornerback-needy team will surely come knocking sooner than later.

AFC East Notes: Bills, White, Moss, Patriots, Jets

August 23rd, 2022 at 6:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bills are hoping Tre’Davious White can avoid a stint on the PUP list to begin the regular season. While speaking to reporters, GM Brandon Beane said the team is going to “run out the clock” when it comes to White’s roster spot in the hope that he’ll progress over the next week.

“We don’t have the final answer,” Beane said (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic on Twitter). “I can’t sit here and say, ‘He’s going to be here on this day.'”

The cornerback tore his ACL last November, and while reports have indicated that he’s progressing well in his return to the field, it’s still uncertain if he’ll be ready to go for Week 1. White landed on the PUP to start training camp, but the team will have to make an important decision on him as they reduce their roster to 53 players. If White is placed on PUP to begin the regular season, he’ll miss Buffalo’s first four games.

The former first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Bills, earning All-Pro nods in both 2019 and 2020. In 11 games last season, White collected 41 tackles, six passes defended, and one interception.

More notes out of the AFC East…

  • To enter Bills camp, there was an expectation that free agent acquisition Jamison Crowder would battle with holdover Isaiah McKenzie for the starting slot receiver role. As Buscaglia writes, the team has given every indication that McKenzie has won that position battle, and Crowder’s training camp struggles may have put him on the roster bubble. Despite his assessment, Buscaglia later opined that the veteran’s experience will ultimately earn him a spot on the 53-man roster.
  • Elsewhere on offense, it sounds like the Bills are ready to roll with a RB committee. Buscaglia writes that both Devin Singletary and rookie James Cook could end up seeing extensive work outside of the red zone, while Zack Moss is expected to serve as the team’s goal-line running back. Moss has gotten an extensive look during the preseason, and while the writer hints that the coaching staff could be showcasing him for a trade, he also acknowledged that the team has been happy with the RB’s performance during training camp and preseason.
  • Before rookie wideout Tyquan Thornton went down with a shoulder injury, the Patriots were fielding offers on their receivers, according to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus. However, it now “seems unlikely” that the Patriots would subtract from the grouping of Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, and Nelson Agholor. Meanwhile, the trio of Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Kristian Wilkerson, and Tre Nixon are competing for limited roster spots, while Ty Montgomery‘s best chance of making the roster may be as a running back.
  • While cornerback Sauce Gardner and wideout Garrett Wilson are expected to play important roles for the Jets next season, their other first-round pick may see more of a complementary role. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes that Carl Lawson, Quinnen Williams, Sheldon Rankins, and John Franklin-Myers are expected to start along the defensive line, meaning Jermaine Johnson will have to compete with Jacob Martin for the role of “situational rusher.” “However I can help the team win is honestly how I look at it,” Johnson said. “I practice like I’m a [undrafted] free agent anyway, so I don’t really care. It’s like I’m fighting for my life. That’s how I am, what I believe and how I practice — and it just lines up perfectly with what Coach Saleh is all about: Practicing hard, balls to the wall, giving 110 percent not only for yourself but for the team.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/22

August 23rd, 2022 at 4:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tuesday marked the day teams were forced to cut down from 85 to 80 players. Here are the moves teams made made to reach the new maximum. Players who land on the reserve/PUP or reserve/NFI list must miss at least the first four regular-season games.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Patriots Fielding Calls On T Isaiah Wynn

August 22nd, 2022 at 1:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marred often by injuries, Isaiah Wynn‘s Patriots tenure looks to now include a position switch. Wynn has lined up at right tackle for most of this year, but his status as New England’s right-side starter may not be locked in.

The Patriots have taken calls on Wynn, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. The former first-round pick is going into his fifth-year option season. Being tied to a guaranteed $10.4MM salary will hurt Wynn’s trade value, but the Patriots are not averse to making moves involving contract-year players.

New England’s status near the bottom of the NFL’s cap-space hierarchy ($6.9MM in space; 28th in the league) is influencing trade interest, per Breer, who adds the Pats are interested in using one of their deeper positions to move money off their payroll. Nelson Agholor has come up here as well, but the former first-round wideout is tied to a $9MM base salary. And New England is now expected to be without second-round rookie wideout Tyquan Thornton for several weeks. Tackle might not qualify as a deep Pats position, however.

Wynn missed his entire rookie season, was out eight games in 2019 and six in 2020. Last season, Wynn suited up for 16 games. Pro Football Focus has consistently graded the Georgia product well when available, slotting him as a top-15 tackle in 2020 and a top-30 player at the position last year. Teams still view Wynn as a tackle-guard tweener, Breer adds. The Patriots have also seen some turnover on their O-line this offseason, having already traded a longtime guard anchor (Shaq Mason) and having let their other 2021 guard starter (Ted Karras) sign with the Bengals.

The Pats only picked up a fifth-round pick for Mason. A Wynn deal would seemingly not produce a great return, either, despite positional value. Moving Wynn would also be risky due to left tackle Trent Brown‘s injury-prone past. The Patriots have former third-round pick Yodny Cajuste (two rookie-year starts) and third-year blocker Justin Herron (10 career starts) as potential options if Wynn is not on the team. The Pats also have rookie Andrew Stueber on their NFI list; the seventh-round pick might miss his entire rookie year.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/22

August 21st, 2022 at 5:26pm CST by Rory Parks

We will keep track of today’s minor moves right here:

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

  • Reverted to IR: WR J.J. Koski

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Moore’s placement on IR indicates that his season is over, and as James Palmer of the NFL Network tweets, a leg injury is the culprit. Moore, who signed with the Bears in April, was a useful complementary receiver in Seattle from 2018-20, and he may have had a shot to carve out a rotational role with Chicago. He was arrested on drug and weapons charges in July and could face league discipline as a result.

The Patriots made Keene the second piece of their two-tight end third round in 2020, trading up (via the Jets) to No. 104 to nab the Virginia Tech product. But neither Keene nor the No. 91 overall pick from that draft (Devin Asiasi) have made big impacts as Patriots. Keene missed all of the 2021 season due to a knee injury. In six games in 2020, Keene caught three passes for 16 yards. In the offseason following the Pats’ Day 2 tight end dive, they signed Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry to big-ticket deals. That duo remains in place in front of Asiasi.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/22

August 20th, 2022 at 7:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the deadline for more roster cutdowns looming, here are today’s minor moves around the league:

Carolina Panthers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

Thompson’s return will be a welcomed sight in Carolina. The 28-year-old had his third-straight 100-tackle season in 2021, adding a pair of sacks and interceptions. Offseason knee surgery cost him time in training camp, but the fact that he passed his conditioning test today means that he can resume practicing with plenty of time before the start of the regular season. Returning to full health in time for Week 1, while expected, would be a crucial development for the Panthers’ defense.

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