Patriots Reduce Roster To 53
The Patriots made headlines earlier today when they cut quarterback Cam Newton, a move that made rookie Mac Jones the starter. The team has since reduced their roster to 53 players, and we’ve detailed each of the moves (including those previously reported) below:
Released
- DL Montravius Adams
- DL Tashawn Bower
- DB Adrian Colbert
- OL Korey Cunningham
- OL James Ferentz
- K Nick Folk
- QB Brian Hoyer
- TE Matt LaCosse
- QB Cam Newton
- OL Alex Redmond
- DL Akeem Spence
- DB Dee Virgin
Waived
- DB Myles Bryant
- CB Michael Jackson
- DL Bill Murray
- WR Tre Nixon
- DB D’Angelo Ross
- G William Sherman
- DL Nick Thurman
- WR Kristian Wilkerson
- WR Isaiah Zuber
Placed on Reserve/PUP list
- DL Byron Cowart
- CB Stephon Gilmore
- LB Terez Hall
- QB Jarrett Stidham
Placed on Reserve/NFI list
- S Joshuah Bledsoe
- LB Cameron McGrone
Placed on Injured Reserve
The Patriots veterans are most notable, but the organization also waived a pair of 2021 draft picks. Sherman was a sixth-round pick out of Colorado who appeared in 30 games during his collegiate career. Nixon was a seventh-round pick; the wideout split his collegiate career between Ole Miss and Central Florida, earning All-AAC honors in 2019.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/21
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Christian Kirk
- Promoted: DL Stacy McGee, LB Terrance Smith, CB Jace Whittaker
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: WR Chris Rowland, WR Devin Gray, TE Jared Pinkney
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Nate Brooks, QB Tyler Huntley
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Tyler Kroft; Kroft contracted the coronavirus
- Promoted: TE Nate Becker, CB Dane Jackson, DE Mike Love, RB Antonio Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: LB Clay Johnston, T Aaron Monteiro, QB Tommy Stevens
- Placed on IR: CB Troy Pride
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DB Xavier Crawford
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Mike Daniels
- Promoted: LB Keandre Jones, DT Kahlil McKenzie, CB Winston Rose
Cleveland Browns
- Signed off Jets’ practice squad: G Blake Hance
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Karl Joseph
- Promoted: G Cordell Iwuagwu, LB Montrel Meander, T Alex Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: DB Steven Parker
- Promoted: DT Walter Palmore, T William Sweet
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: WR K.J. Hamler
- Promoted: LB Josh Watson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DT Danny Shelton
- Promoted: C Evan Brown, DT Albert Huggins, S Bobby Price
- Waived: DL Frank Herron
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: David Bakhtiari (story)
- Promoted: G Ben Braden, DL Brian Price
Houston Texans
- Promoted: OL Greg Mancz, WR Steven Mitchell
- Placed on IR: OL Brent Qvale
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: S Ibraheim Campbell, T Jared Veldheer
- Activated from IR: TE Noah Togiai
- Waived: WR Marcus Johnson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: WR Collin Johnson
- Promoted: WR Terry Godwin, OL Tre’vour Wallace-Simms
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: S Jeff Heath
- Promoted: LB James Onwualu, OL Erik Magnuson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DB John Brannon
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: QB Bryce Perkins
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: S Nate Holley, WR Marcus Kemp, QB Reid Sinnett
- Waived: FB Chandler Cox
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: CB Tae Hayes, Cordrea Tankersley, DE Eddie Yarbrough
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: RB Damien Harris
- Promoted: TE/DL Rashod Berry, CB Michael Jackson, LB Cassh Maluia, OL Ross Reynolds, CB D’Angelo Ross
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: FB Michael Burton, RB Latavius Murray, S D.J. Swearinger, RB Dwayne Washington; Murray and Washington are close contacts of COVID-positive Alvin Kamara (story)
- Promoted: LB Andrew Dowell, TE Garrett Griffin, CB Grant Haley, LB Chase Hansen, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey, RB Tony Jones Jr., WR Tommylee Lewis
New York Giants
- Activated from IR: LB Kyler Fackrell, CB Madre Harper
- Promoted: P Ryan Santoso
- Placed on IR: FB Elijhaa Penny
- Waived: QB/WR Joe Webb
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: G Greg Van Roten
- Waived: K Sam Ficken
- Promoted: LB Noah Dawkins, LB Sharif Finch, LB Brady Sheldon, DL Tanzel Smart
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Blake Countess, DE Joe Ostman, T Prince Tega Wanogho
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Eric Ebron, LB Cassius Marsh
- Promoted: WR Deon Cain, T Anthony Coyle, TE Kevin Rader, K Matthew Wright
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: G Tom Compton
- Promoted: DT Josiah Coatney, WR Jordan Matthews, K Tristan Vizcaino, OL Isaiah Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: CB Tre Flowers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Damarious Randall, T Brandon Shell
- Promoted: G Alex Boone, RB Alex Collins, WR Penny Hart
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Herb Miller, DL Benning Potoa’e
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Brett Kern
- Promoted: LB Brooks Reed, K Sam Sloman
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Dontrelle Inman
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/19
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers from Broncos: LB Jeff Holland
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: FB Tommy Bohanon
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Manasseh Garner
- Waived: RB Josh Caldwell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DE Thomas Costigan
- Waived/injured: TE Andrew Vollert
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Cole Croston
- Waived/injured: CB D’Angelo Ross
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: FB Shane Smith
Patriots Sign 10 UDFAs
The Patriots have added 10 undrafted free agents. Here is the team’s full list:
- Calvin Anderson, OT (Texas)
- Andrew Beck, TE (Texas)
- Nick Brossette, RB (Louisiana State)
- Ryan Davis, WR (Auburn)
- Malik Gant, S (Marshall)
- Tyler Gauthier, OL (Texas)
- Terez Hall, LB (Missouri)
- Jakobi Meyers, WR (NC State)
- D’Angelo Ross, CB (New Mexico)
- Tyree St. Louis, OT (Miami)
The Patriots also announced the signing of defensive lineman Nick Thurman, who was a 2018 undrafted free agent out of Houston.
The Patriots surprised some when they didn’t draft a rookie tight end to replace Rob Gronkowski. However, the team seemingly has high hopes for Beck; Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports (via Twitter) that the Patriots gave the Texas product $115K in guaranteed money (the highest among the team’s undrafted free agents). The former linebacker had a breakout offensive season in 2018, hauling in 28 receptions for 281 yards and two touchdowns.
The team also gave $85K guaranteed to both Gant and Hall. Gant, a former walk-on at Marshall, finished his collegiate career with a pair of standout seasons, including a 2018 campaign where he tallied 95 tackles and two interceptions. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Hall was equally productive at Missouri, where he finished 2018 with 71 tackles and five sacks.
Considering New England’s lack of receiver depth, the team’s signing of Meyers is noteworthy. The former quarterback transitioned to wideout back in 2016, all leading to a 2018 season where he hauled in 92 receptions for 1,047 yards and four scores.