Patriots pare roster to 53 ahead of Tuesday deadline
The Patriots trimmed 14 players Friday morning after a 42-10 preseason loss to the Giants, leaving New England with 77 players on the roster and setting up another wave of cuts before the league’s 53-man deadline on Tuesday.
The players released were quarterback Ben Wooldridge, offensive linemen Sidy Sow and Tyrese Robinson, running backs Micah Bernard and Shane Watts, wide receiver Phil Lutz, tight ends Jaheim Bell and Cole Fotheringham, defensive tackles Kyle Peko and Philip Blidi, linebackers R.J. Moten and Monty Rice, and cornerbacks Isaiah Bolden and Jordan Polk.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, alongside executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, explained the process as they informed the players of the decisions Friday morning. “Tough day,” Vrabel said roughly 12 hours after the blowout loss to the Giants. “Again, we talked about this. Try to have a personal side to this and a professional side, and this is clearly the professional side of what we have to do. Thirty-one other teams are going to do the same thing between now and Tuesday. So, again, just try to do it as respectfully as possible and continued to function.”
Among the more recognizable names in the group is Sow, a 2023 fourth-round pick who started 13 of 15 games as a rookie. Sow entered 2024 with the expectation of competing for a guard spot but wound up spending more time on special teams rather than anchoring the line.
The league’s 53-man cutdown deadline remains Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Summary: The Patriots continued trimming their roster, releasing 14 players to move closer to the 53-man limit ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. The next round of cuts will further shape a roster that is trying to rebuild depth after a challenging preseason showing.
Notes for editors and readers:
– Look for potential waiver claims in the coming hours as teams finalize their 53-man rosters.
– Watch for position battles to settle in the next couple of days, particularly along the offensive line, at running back, and in the secondary.
– A positive takeaway could be how the team identifies and prioritizes special-teams contributions and depth pieces during roster pruning.