HEADLINES

New England Patriots News & Rumors

Jabrill Peppers Removed From Commissioner’s Exempt List

November 25th, 2024 at 5:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Following his October arrest for an alleged domestic violence incident, Jabrill Peppers was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list. The Patriots safety missed the following seven games, but he’ll now have a chance to play for the stretch run of the season. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Peppers was removed from the commissioner’s list today.

[RELATED: NFL Places Patriots S Jabrill Peppers On Commissioner’s Exempt List]

Peppers is accused of choking a woman and shoving her head against a wall outside his Braintree, Mass., apartment in early October. He was hit with charges of assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation and the possession of a class B substance; Peppers pleaded not guilty to each of those charges.

As the league prepared their investigation, Peppers sat in limbo on the commissioner’s list. In addition to being barred from games, Peppers’ placement on the list meant he couldn’t even attend games nor practice with the team. In a statement (via Christopher Price of the Boston Globe), the NFL said their “review will remain ongoing and is not affected by this change in Peppers’ roster status.” The NFL will likely wait for the legal process to play out before handing out any unpaid suspensions.

Source told Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald that Peppers’ stay on the list played a role in his sudden activation. The “baseline suspension” for a similar violation of the personal conduct policy is six games. Since Peppers has already sat out seven contests, the NFL decided to remove the player from the list.

The Patriots also released a statement, acknowledging Peppers’ removal from the list while not addressing the player’s future with the team. Patriots owner Robert Kraft previously stated that Peppers will be released if the accusations he faces are proven true. The safety inked a three years, $24MM extension with the team this past offseason, and his 2025 salary is connected to some guaranteed money. With Peppers now eligible to play, it’s uncertain if the team will allow the player back on the field. Peppers has a court date set for January.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/24

November 23rd, 2024 at 7:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves, including gameday elevations for Week 12:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

League Considering More Tom Brady Broadcasting Restrictions

November 21st, 2024 at 8:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Tom Brady already faces several restrictions as he juggles his roles as part-owner of the Raiders and as an announcer for FOX Sports. As the iconic QB’s television gig continues to evolve, the NFL may implement even more rules to prevent any competitive advantages for the Las Vegas franchise.

[RELATED: Bigger Role In Vegas For Tom Brady In Future?]

According to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, some NFL owners recently discussed complications surrounding Brady’s one-on-one player interviews. The league pointed to a recent chat between Brady and Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, and there are concerns that the NFL may need to create additional conditions “to ensure Brady does not receive information he shouldn’t as a Raiders partner.”

Specifically, the NFL is considering restricting Brady to “live or recorded interviews for broadcast only,” which will ensure that his conversations are shared publicly. The NFL would also prohibit Brady from having private one-on-one conversations with players, and the NFL could force Brady to conduct broadcast interviews outside of team facilities and even outside of team hotels. The interviews could also require prior approval and monitoring by the league.

The NFL has already prohibited Brady from attending pregame production meetings with coaches/players. Brady is also barred from visiting opposing teams’ practice facilities, and he’s not allowed to publicly criticize officials. As Fischer notes, these restrictions are common for any team owners, although they naturally provide some obstacles for Brady as a broadcaster. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, one team attempted to waive these restrictions and allow Brady to attend a pre-production meeting. However, the NFL refused, and Florio says there was a sense that neither FOX Sports nor their broadcaster were interested “in pushing back.”

Beyond Brady’s announcing role, the former QB’s role as a Patriots team ambassador is also under the microscope. The future Hall of Famer will always be connected to the franchise, and per Fischer, he agreed in 2023 to occasionally attend Patriots events. The league is debating whether it’s “appropriate” for Brady to have a role with one team while serving as a part-owner of another franchise.

If the finance committee decides to act on any of these restrictions, the matter could be taken up by all of the league’s owners. NFL owners are set to meet in mid-December.

Patriots Designate Cole Strange For Return

November 20th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Sam Robinson

It looks like the Patriots will work Cole Strange back into action during Drake Maye‘s rookie season. The team’s 2022 first-round pick is set to practice Wednesday, Jerod Mayo said.

This will mark the start of Strange’s 21-day activation window from the reserve/PUP list, which the veteran guard has resided on throughout the season. Strange has been working his way back from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. This comes after a Mike Reiss ESPN.com offering indicated the third-year lineman is indeed in the homestretch of his recovery, pointing to an activation coming soon.

Playing exclusively at left guard during his first two seasons with the Pats, Strange has not yet justified his higher-than-expected draft slot. The Patriots chose Strange 29th overall and used him as a 17-game starter in 2022, but injury trouble surfaced last year. Strange missed four of New England’s first six games last season and then ended up shut down for their final three due to the severe knee malady he sustained.

Mayo had said Strange could see center work previously, and the rookie HC again did not rule this out. The Patriots have been without David Andrews for most of this season; the Tom Brady-era blocker is down for the rest of the year. Though, Mayo said (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the team wants to see Strange go through some practices before determining his position.

Not logging a snap anywhere else up front during his first two seasons, the young left guard returning would certainly boost a Pats line that has experienced staffing issues — particularly at center and left tackle — this season. The Patriots have given Michael Jordan the bulk of the work at LG this season; Pro Football Focus has rated both he and rookie Layden Robinson among the worst guard regulars this season. The team has also tried Michael Onwenu at left guard in recent practices, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. Onwenu has moved around the Pats’ O-line during his career but has concentrated on the right side, splitting his time between RG and RT in games this season.

Strange’s return should help the Pats settle on an Onwenu position, at long last. Although Mayo said third-round rookie Caedan Wallace was not yet ready to practice, a return before season’s end is expected. Wallace is eligible to come off IR, where he has resided since early October due to an ankle injury.

Minor NFL Transactions 11/19/24

November 19th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest moves from around the NFL:

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/24

November 18th, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived from IR: LB Deion Jennings

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

MarShawn Lloyd‘s path back to the Packers active roster has taken an unusual turn. The rookie third-round pick landed on IR in September with an ankle injury. He returned to practice last week but suffered appendicitis only a few days later, putting his activation within the 21-day window in doubt.

Worried that Lloyd wouldn’t be ready to play by his early-December activation deadline, the Packers consulted with the NFL about the best route forward (per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That ultimately led to today’s transaction, which is only the start of several transactional machinations. As Tom Silverstein of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Lloyd will temporarily join the active roster before landing on the non-football injury list. That means he won’t count against the team’s roster limit until he’s healthy enough to return to the field.

Lloyd doesn’t have a return timetable from this recent setback. While the rookie entered the year as the hopeful RB2 behind Josh Jacobs, there’s a good chance he’ll also behind Emanuel Wilson for the stretch run of the season.

Patriots Activate DL Christian Barmore

November 16th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots will welcome back one of their defensive leaders for Week 11. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team is activating defensive lineman Christian Barmore off the non-football illness list. Barmore is expected to play tomorrow.

[RELATED: Pats’ Christian Barmore Returns To Practice]

The 25-year-old was sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots in late July. He was subsequently placed on NFI, and the seriousness of Barmore’s diagnosis led to speculation that he could be out for the entire 2024 season.

Fortunately, things seemed to be trending in the right direction for the former second-round pick, as the organization expressed continued optimism surrounding his recovery. The organization all but confirmed Barmore’s impending return when they welcomed him back to practice earlier this week. There was some initial skepticism surrounding the DL’s Week 11 availability after he missed yesterday’s practice, but it sounds like he’ll be ready to make his season debut tomorrow.

After showing flashes through his first two seasons in the NFL, Barmore seemed to put it all together in 2023. The defensive lineman established new career-highs in sacks (8.5), tackles (64), pressures (19), and tackles for loss (13). With Barmore eyeing the final season of his rookie pact in 2024, the Patriots eagerly handed him a a four-year, $84MM extension this past spring.

The Patriots’ pass rush and run defense haven’t been completely helpless in 2024, but Barmore should still help to improve those middle-of-the-road units. While New England doesn’t have a whole lot to play for down the stretch, the organization would gladly take continued development from Barmore as they head towards the offseason.

Patriots Cut WR Tyquan Thornton

November 16th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ben Levine

As one of only three squads to carry seven wide receivers for much of the campaign, the Patriots are finally clearing some of their depth. The team has cut wideout Tyquan Thornton, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

A 2022 second-round pick out of Baylor, Thornton struggled to carve out a role in New England. The wideout showed some flashes as a rookie, hauling in 22 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns while starting nine of his 13 appearances. Thanks in part to inconsistent QB play, Thornton struggled as a sophomore, finishing with only 13 catches while missing a chunk of the season with a shoulder injury.

While the Patriots underwent significant changes during the offseason (including to their offense), Thornton hasn’t been able to revive his career. The wideout saw a fair share of snaps to start the season with Kendrick Bourne and Kayshon Boutte sidelined. However, as the receivers room got back to full strength, Thornton found himself on the outside looking in.

Over the past six weeks, the third-year WR has seen the field for only 13 offensive snaps (with 12 of those snaps coming in Week 8). In addition to Bourne and Boutte, Thornton also found himself behind the likes of Demario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, and K.J. Osborn in the pecking order.

While Osborn is an impending free agent, the Patriots decided to move on from Thornton despite one year remaining on his rookie contract. Another squad could inherit that contract by making a waiver claim, and NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe notes that the receiver is healthy and “ready for his next opportunity.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

November 16th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Pats’ Christian Barmore Returns To Practice

November 15th, 2024 at 9:45am CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 15: Mayo left the door open to Barmore playing in Week 11 on a limited basis (video link via Reiss). A meeting will take place later today with doctors to determine if he gets the green light to return to game action immediately after practicing. In any event, Barmore should be in the lineup relatively soon.

NOVEMBER 14: Christian Barmore has been out of the lineup for the 2024 season while dealing with blood clots. Not long after Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo gave an encouraging update on his status, the fourth-year defensive tackle is positioned to resume on-field work.

Barmore is expected to practice today, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Mayo indicated such a development could be possible in the near future yesterday, so it comes as little surprise a return to the field is forthcoming. Getting Barmore back in the fold at any point this campaign would be crucial for New England’s defensive front. Barmore has since returned to the field, as ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss confirms.

The 25-year-old was diagnosed with blood clots in late July, leaving him sidelined as his attention turned to recovery. Without a firm timeline in place, the possibility existed that Barmore would be out for the entire season, although today’s news is a strong sign that will not be the case. He remains on the reserve/non-football injury list at this time, and suiting up for practice would open his 21-day activation window. Being moved onto the active roster within that span would allow Barmore to play this season.

The former second-rounder landed a four-year, $84MM extension this spring to avoid the 2024 campaign becoming a potential walk year. The blood clot diagnosis marked an unwanted turn for team and player, of course, but the size of that investment illustrates Barmore’s importance to the Patriots’ defense. He took a major step forward in the pass-rush department last year, setting a career high with 8.5 sacks. Barmore’s 64 tackles, 19 pressures, 13 tackles for loss and six pass deflections that year also marked a personal high.

In his absence, the Patriots have allowed just under 131 rushing yards per game; that ranks 23rd in the league. Improvement in that regard would be key in continuing the team’s momentum from winning two of its last three games. Barmore managing to reprise his role as a key pass-rushing figure along the interior would also give New England’s defense a notable boost.

Sitting at 3-7 on the year, the Patriots face a long road to playoff contention. Regardless of how the rest of the campaign plays out, though, getting Barmore back on the field for any stretch would be a signficant positive.

Load More Posts