FOXBOROUGH – The New England Patriots quickly severed ties with veteran pass rusher Darrell Taylor just one week after his signing to the practice squad. Taylor joined the Patriots following his release from the Houston Texans, who let him go as they prepared for the wild-card playoffs.
In an effort to provide the Patriots with valuable insights for their playoff matchup against the Texans, Taylor had expressed confidence in his ability to contribute, citing his previous experience and knowledge gained during his ten-month tenure with Houston. However, the team’s head coach, Mike Vrabel, confirmed on Friday that Taylor was no longer with the squad, stating, “We released Darrell Taylor. We’ll put that out here at four o’clock, so not very well.”
Taylor’s brief stint in New England followed a notable performance last season, where he achieved a career-high 9.5 sacks with the Seattle Seahawks. Despite the Patriots’ initial interest in him during the offseason, Taylor opted for Houston, where he spent most of the current season on injured reserve and appeared in only four games.
In his remarks prior to the release, Taylor had voiced his determination to elevate to the game-day roster, emphasizing his desire to aid the team on special teams and defense. However, during the Patriots’ recent victory over the Texans, the team made different roster decisions, opting to elevate defensive tackle Leonard Taylor and running back D’Ernest Johnson instead.
While Taylor’s time with the Patriots was short-lived, his experience and past performance levels suggest he still holds potential for impact in the league moving forward. The swift decision by the Patriots may reflect their ongoing adjustments as they strive to maximize their chances as they navigate through the playoffs.