Earlier today, the New England Patriots have released Tyler Gaffney. The 25-year old was a depth option at running back, having not yet seen game action in his three-year NFL career. The move, freeing up a spot on the Patriots’ 53-man roster, potentially opens the door for a follow-up transaction: the activation of fellow running back Dion Lewis off the PUP list.
According to Jeff Howe, this will indeed happen as the chances of seeing Lewis play on Sunday look good:
Dion Lewis is on track to play against the Seahawks, according to a source.
The 26-year old, who is already in his sixth NFL season, has had a breakout-year in 2015; establishing himself as New England’s best and most versatile running back. However, he tore his ACL in week 8 and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
While rehab went well over the course of the offseason, Lewis needed a clean-up procedure in summer which in turn forced the Patriots to place him on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He returned to practice two weeks ago and has to be activated to the active roster within the next seven days.
It seems as if the move will happen earlier than later. If the Patriots indeed want to play Lewis on Sunday, they have to activate him prior to Saturday, 4:00 PM ET.