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Three days ago, the Patriots placed veteran linebacker Jerod Mayo on season-ending injured reserve. Given Mayo's injury, as well as the fact that starters Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins deal with injuries themselves, filling the vacant roster spot with a linebacker seemed like a logical move.
However, no transaction has happened – and the Patriots are in no rush to fill Mayo's spot on the roster just yet, according to head coach Bill Belichick:
Q: Do you envision filling that final roster spot or is that something that you don't have to do if you're not going to activate him to the 46?
BB: Yeah, I mean, we'll see if it's important putting a guy on [the 53-man roster] that you're just going to deactivate anyway. We don't need to do that and use that move. I don't know.
Q: Are you required to by any chance just with practice squad rules or do those not apply in the postseason? You know how sometimes you have to have a full 53?
BB: Nick [Caserio] and I'll talk about that today. We'll make it work one way or the other.
Even if the team ultimately promotes a player prior to Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos, it certainly looks as if said player will not be activated to the 46-man game-day roster. Belichick is obviously happy with the current state of the roster and sees no imminent need to add depth at any position.
Furthermore, the head coach's answer to the second question asked by Mike Reiss shows once again how important director of player personnel Nick Caserio is as Belichick's right-hand man.