Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC East
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots moves are noted below.
Buffalo Bills
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- RB Frank Gore Jr., WR Deon Cain, WR KJ Hamler, WR Tyrell Shavers, TE Zach Davidson, OL Richard Gouraige, OL Will Clapp, OL Mike Edwards, DE Kingsley Jonathan, DE Kameron Cline, DT Eli Ankou, DT Branson Deen, CB Daequan Hardy, CB Te’Cory Couch, S Kareem Jackson
Miami Dolphins
Released:
Claimed:
- WR Grant Dubose
Signed to practice squad:
- S Jordan Colbert, WR Erik Ezukanma, DT Jonathan Harris, OL Chasen Hines, LB Dequan Jackson, CB Isaiah Johnson, T Bayron Matos, RB Anthony McFarland Jr., CB Nik Needham, TE Hayden Rucci.
New England Patriots
Signed:
Claimed:
- LB Curtis Jacobs, T Demontrey Jacobs, DT Eric Johnson, T Zachary Thomas
Released:
- DT Trysten Hill, OL Michael Jordan, WR Jalen Reagor
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- T Liam Fornadel, RB Kevin Harris, RB Terrell Jennings, WR Matt Landers, DE Jotham Russell, DB A.J. Thomas, TE Mitchell Wilcox
New York Jets
Signed:
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Sam Eguavoen, OL Obinna Eze, TE Anthony Firkser, OL Jake Hanson, DL Bruce Hector, DL Jalyn Holmes, S Jaylen Key, TE Zack Kuntz, OL Kohl Levao, QB Adrian Martinez, LB Marcelino McCary-Ball, WR Lance McCutcheon, S Jarius Monroe, CB Kendall Sheffield, WR Brandon Smith, CB Tre Swilling, RB Xazavian Valladay
2024 NFL Waiver Order
Waiver claims can begin coming in at 11am CT. While the waiver order will depend on 2024 records in several weeks, teams’ 2023 finishes currently determine it. Here is how the waiver priority list stacks up heading into today’s round of claims:
- Carolina Panthers
- Washington Commanders
- New England Patriots
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New York Giants
- Tennessee Titans
- Atlanta Falcons
- Chicago Bears
- New York Jets
- Minnesota Vikings
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
- New Orleans Saints
- Indianapolis Colts
- Seattle Seahawks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Miami Dolphins
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Green Bay Packers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Houston Texans
- Buffalo Bills
- Detroit Lions
- Baltimore Ravens
- San Francisco 49ers
- Kansas City Chiefs
Patriots Set 53-Man Roster
The Patriots have set their first 53-man roster in a post-Bill Belichick era. The team announced the following moves:
Released:
- S Joshuah Bledsoe
- OT Kellen Diesch
- OL Liam Fornadel
- LB Joe Giles-Harris
- RB Kevin Harris
- RB Terrell Jennings
- LB Kobe Jones
- WR Matt Landers
- G Atonio Mafi
- DE Jotham Russell
- K Chad Ryland (story)
- S A.J. Thomas
- CB Shaun Wade
- WR David Wallis
- TE Mitchell Wilcox
- QB Bailey Zappe (story)
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- WR Kendrick Bourne (story)
- G Cole Strange
- LB Sione Takitaki
Placed on reserve/NFI list:
Placed on IR:
- OL Calvin Anderson
- S Marte Mapu (designated to return)
- DT Armon Watts
Atonio Mafi was a fifth-round pick by the Patriots just last year, and he ended up starting five of his 17 appearances as a rookie. It wasn’t pretty for the UCLA alumni, as Pro Football Focus ultimately graded Mafi as the second-worst qualifying guard in the NFL (among 79 qualifying players).
Kevin Harris was a sixth-round pick by New England in 2022, but the running back struggled to carve out a role through his two seasons with the squad. The South Carolina product was ultimately limited to nine appearances (one start), collecting 175 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
Patriots To Waive K Chad Ryland
Not long after the Packers made their kicker decision, the Patriots have theirs ready. The team is moving on from incumbent Chad Ryland, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. 
This will give Joey Slye the win in New England’s kicking competition. The Pats added Slye this offseason, doing so after the Jaguars had cut him. Slye kicked for the Commanders in 2023. This will mark a quick exit for Ryland, who was chosen ahead of Anders Carlson in last year’s draft.
Green Bay cut Carlson earlier today; he arrived as a sixth-round choice. Ryland came to Foxborough as a fourth-rounder out of Eastern Michigan. Ryland beat out Nick Folk for the Patriots’ kicker job last year, with the team dealing the veteran to the Titans. Tennessee has since re-signed Folk after a strong season.
Ryland did make a 56-yard field goal to down the Broncos on Christmas Eve, ending the Russell Wilson era in Denver, but he struggled mightily as a rookie. The 24-year-old made just 64% of his field goal tries (16-for-25), a rate out of step with the current generation of kickers. The Pats gave him another chance but will move on early.
Slye, 28, is a veteran of 78 games. His NFL tenure has included regular season action with the Panthers, Texans, 49ers and Commanders. It was with the latter team that he enjoyed a strong run to close out the 2021 season, connecting on all 12 of his field goals and nine of 10 extra points. The former UDFA remained in the nation’s capital for the past two years, seeing mixed results during that time. He will aim to earn an extended stay with the Patriots beginning in 2024 while Ryland looks for a new opportunity.
Patriots To Waive QB Bailey Zappe
Drafting two quarterbacks in April, the Patriots did not appear to have room for Bailey Zappe on their 53-man roster. They are cutting the third-year passer, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
As Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye vie for the New England starting job, Zappe had competed with sixth-rounder Joe Milton during the preseason. Zappe is not yet a vested vet and will need to clear waivers, though the Western Kentucky alum has been in this situation before. The Pats waived him last year as well.
Not showing growth in Bill O’Brien‘s offense last summer, Zappe received a cut notice during Bill Belichick‘s final offseason in charge. But the team circled back to the former fourth-round pick via the practice squad. Zappe made his way back to New England’s 53-man roster and eventually replaced Mac Jones as a starter. Zappe ended up making six starts last season, being responsible for two wins in a 4-13 Pats campaign.
Overall, Zappe has started eight games in two seasons. He is a 63.2% passer who holds an 11-to-12 TD-to-INT ratio. Zappe, who threw a Division I-FBS-record 62 touchdown passes during his lone season with the Hilltoppers, has averaged 6.8 yards per attempt as a pro. He has played in three Pats offenses in three years. It will be interesting to see if a team makes a claim this year; no one submitted a claim in 2023.
A cannon-armed prospect out of Tennessee, Milton arrived as a developmental player in Round 6. Milton wowed observers with his arm strength this summer, though his preseason outings have left considerable room for improvement. Milton only completed 36.7% of his passes (11-for-30) during the Pats’ exhibition slate. Zappe went 15 of 25 during his preseason work, but the Patriots have obviously seen plenty of his form. They will gauge Milton’s development moving forward.
Patriots Shift WR Kendrick Bourne To Reserve/PUP List
Ahead of Drake Maye‘s rookie season, the Patriots will not have one of their wide receiver regulars available. Despite re-signing Kendrick Bourne in free agency, New England will not have him on the field for a bit.
Bourne went down with an ACL tear in late October, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Pats will shuttle him to the reserve/PUP list. This will sideline Bourne for at least four games, pushing his recovery timetable to nearly a year. This has long loomed as a rebuilding year for the Patriots, who will give the veteran pass catcher more time to complete his rehab.
Early in what became a re-signing/extension spree for new Patriots front office boss Eliot Wolf, the team re-signed Bourne on a three-year, $19.5MM deal. That pact includes $5.5MM guaranteed. Bourne, 29, was on pace for a strong 2023 contract year. After a strange 2022 in which trade rumors engulfed a wide receiver that had seemingly fallen into Bill Belichick‘s doghouse, the former 49ers cog averaged a career-high 50.8 yards per game (37/406) and scored four touchdowns despite failing to make it past Week 8.
The Patriots have already made a big move at wide receiver, releasing JuJu Smith-Schuster (leading him back to the Chiefs). Jerod Mayo‘s team also made aggressive pursuits of Calvin Ridley in free agency and Brandon Aiyuk via trade. Both efforts came up empty, leaving a young receiving corps in place for Maye and/or Jacoby Brissett to open the season.
New England used second- and fourth-round picks on wideouts (Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker) and signed ex-Vikings slot player K.J. Osborn. The team, which must pare its roster to 53 players at 3pm CT today, also rosters intriguing Day 3 draftee Demario Douglas, Jalen Reagor and former second-rounder Tyquan Thornton at the position.
Patriots Cut 14 Players
The Patriots have started the process of reducing their roster to 53 players. The team announced that the following 14 players have been cut:
Released:
- TE La’Michael Pettway
Waived:
- LS Tucker Addington
- WR Kawaan Baker
- DE William Bradley-King
- DT Josiah Bronson
- LB Steele Chambers
- RB Deshaun Fenwick
- CB Azizi Hearn
- OT Zuri Henry
- DE Christian McCarroll
- DT Sam Roberts
- C Charles Turner
- CB Mikey Victor
- TE Jacob Warren
With Sam Roberts off the team, the Patriots have now officially moved on from half of their 2022 draft class (and more subtractions, including QB Bailey Zappe, are surely coming). The former sixth-round pick struggled to carve out a role during his two seasons in New England, appearing in only 12 games. He did manage to appear in a career-high 100 defensive snaps this past season, but he was still limited to only five total tackles.
The team also moved on from defensive lineman Josiah Bronson, who joined the team a few days into camp. Despite Christian Barmore expected to be sidelined for the first chunk of the season, the veteran Bronson was unable to carve out a role. The 27-year-old will now look to revive his career elsewhere, but after being limited to only one game over the past two seasons, his opportunities may be running dry.
Kawaan Baker was facing an uphill battle to make the roster behind the likes of Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, Jalen Reagor, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker. The former Saints draft pick got into a pair of games as a rookie, contributing a single special teams tackle.
Patriots HC Jerod Mayo: Drake Maye Has ‘Outplayed’ Jacoby Brissett
The Patriots concluded the 2024 preseason on Sunday night, with both Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye seeing time under center. As a final decision on the team’s Week 1 starting quarterback is contemplated, the rookie’s performance this summer has made this a closer call than it seemed to be at the start of training camp. 
“This is a true competition, and I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby,” head coach Jerod Mayo said during a Monday appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show (h/t ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “Now in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work, going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp… It starts in practice and also in the game, where Drake has played better.
“There are multiple factors that have to go into this decision. One is the total body of work, whether we’re talking about the spring or the entirety of training camp. And I would also say, oftentimes we forget about the overall experience that a guy like Jacoby has, which will also be weighted in the decision we have to make in the near future.”
Selected third overall April’s draft – after the Patriots turned down trade offers from the Giants and Vikings – Maye has long been known to be the team’s long-term plan at quarterback. The North Carolina product was one of the younger passers in his draft class, though, and his underwhelming play in 2023 led many to label him a candidate for a developmental rookie season. With Brissett in place on a one-year deal, redshirting Maye is certainly an option for Mayo and Co. Veteran reporter Josina Anderson notes the 31-year-old is viewed as the better option to begin the season by some in the Patriots’ organization.
To little surprise, Brissett entered training camp atop the depth chart. His summer performances have not impressed, however, and Mayo’s confirmation that Maye has outplayed him comes after the first-time head coach publicly left the door open to a change in the pecking order. With three preseason contests to evaluate (along with practice showings), the fact that Maye has made up ground adds further intrigue to this situation.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have already earned the QB1 title for their respective teams. Maye could become the fourth rookie to see the field in Week 1, and a decision should be made in the coming days on whether he or Brissett will get the nod. A cautions approach would still not come as a surprise, but Mayo’s sentiment points to Maye having a strong chance to secure the starting gig right away.
Latest On Christian Barmore, Patriots’ DT Plans
A frightening report from late last month noted that Patriots DT Christian Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots. At the time, it was too early to speculate on his NFL future, but we now have some additional information to pass along.
This year, up to two players that are placed on injured reserve on cutdown day can be activated during the season (previously, a player had to be on the 53-man roster on cutdown day and then placed on IR in order to be eligible for activation, which led to a significant amount of seemingly needless roster machinations). According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Barmore is one of New England’s top candidates to benefit from the new rule (safety Marte Mapu is the other player that Kyed names).
In other words, there is a chance that Barmore will play this season. As Kyed notes, the 25-year-old defender has not yet been placed on a season-ending reserve list, so the Pats are at least holding out hope for a 2024 return.
That would obviously represent a key development for the club’s defense. In his 2023 breakout, Barmore logged a 66% snap share and recorded career highs in sacks (8.5), total tackles (64), tackles for loss (13), quarterback hits (16), pass deflections (six), and forced fumbles (one). The advanced metrics supported that surface-level production, with Pro Football Focus ranking Barmore as the eighth-best interior defender in the NFL.
On the strength of that performance, the 2021 second-rounder became one of a number of Patriots to land an extension from the club’s new regime, inking a four-year deal worth up to $92MM in April. Clearly, New England saw Barmore’s 2023 effort as a sign of things to come and not a one-year blip.
While the Pats await Barmore’s return, they will turn to Daniel Ekuale as his primary replacement, as Kyed writes. While Ekuale has been utilized primarily on passing downs since coming to Foxborough in 2021, he has the size (6-3, 310) to operate as a three-technique defensive tackle.
Like Ekuale, the similarly-sized Trysten Hill has quietly had a strong camp, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Nonetheless, Reiss expects the club to trawl the waiver wire for a run-stuffing DT – and additional offensive line help – when teams across the league make their final cutdowns this week (that is especially true since free agent pickup Armon Watts has failed to impress). New England has No. 3 waiver priority so should have an opportunity to claim some of the more intriguing cuts from rival clubs.
Patriots DT Davon Godchaux Addresses Extension Talks
While the Patriots moved on from Matt Judon, the team was willing to commit to a new deal for defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. The latter’s public comments on his negotiation process provide further details on how his extension came to pass. 
“I didn’t do anything in OTAs, I just worked out at the facility, and I went home,” the 29-year-old said during a recent episode of his Chaux Talk YouTube show (video link). “Training camp came and I remember having this conversation with [de facto GM] Eliot [Wolf]… He called me and was like, ‘Look, what’s going on? We want you to be out on the field practicing.’ I’m like, ‘Look, Eliot, I don’t have guarantees.'”
Godchaux made public his desire for a new Patriots deal, something a number of in-house players received during Wolf’s first offseason at the helm of the franchise. While the former fifth-rounder is not an impact pass rusher, his play against the run made him a candidate for another New England pact. While it took longer to work out than many of his teammates, an agreement was indeed reached at the end of July.
“Me and my agent ended up taking a whole other approach when it came to training camp,” Godchaux added. “I practiced in pads the first couple of days, and then about the third day in pads, I got paid. We were just like a million or two off.”
Indeed, non-participation in OTAs and minicamp was substituted by engaging in some activities during training camp. Godchaux’s comments confirm the parties were not far apart on contract terms, which explains how quickly his extension was hammered out. The LSU product secured a two-year pact featuring $16.65MM in guarantees, including locked in base salaries for the next two seasons. Godchaux is on the books through 2026.
Expectations will therefore be high for the former Dolphin, who has collected between 56 and 65 tackles in each of his three Patriots campaigns. Godchaux has served as a full-time starter in New England throughout his tenure with the team, and that will likely remain the case moving forward. His extension process illustrates the willingness shown by Wolf and Co. to keep several members of the previous regime’s core in place along with how close team and player were in this case to reaching agreement on a deal before training camp began.