The New England Patriots were hoping that most of the players cut in the 53-man roster trimmings would be available to sign with the practice squad, or at least join the injured reserve.
It’s not going to happen.
The Philadelphia Eagles claimed 6th round pick LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, which is a major bummer for me because I was a big fan of his game. KGH is a great special teams player with upside against the passing game. He’s a little small to play against the run in the NFL, but he could find a place to grow with the Eagles.
The Chicago Bears claimed undrafted free agent rookie CB Cre’Von LeBlanc after getting a close look in joint practices with the Patriots. LeBlanc was expected to win a job with the Patriots, but a late hip injury opened the door for Jonathan Jones to win the final cornerback roster spot.
The New York Jets claimed sophomore 7th round pick CB Darryl Roberts, who was waived with the injury distinction by the Patriots. Roberts has a nose for the football on defense, but he had trouble staying on the field. He’s supremely athletic, so don’t be surprised if the Patriots see Roberts lining up for the Jets over the years.
The Patriots did not claim any players on waivers.
Here’s a list of the Patriots players that cleared waivers:
OL Chris Barker, Jon Halapio
WR DeAndre Carter, Aaron Dobson, Chris Harper, Devin Lucien
RB Joey Iosefa
TE Bryce Williams
ED Geneo Grissom, Rufus Johnson
DT Woodrow Hamilton, Joe Vellano
S Vinnie Sunseri
I would not be surprised if a few of these players found their way to the Patriots practice squad.