Following the injury-related release of offensive lineman Chase Farris last week and yesterday's unexpected retirement announcement by veteran wide receiver Andrew Hawkins, the New England Patriots had two open spots on their 90-man offseason roster with training camp on the horizon. Earlier today, the team filled one of the vacancies.
According to his agency, rookie defensive edge Caleb Kidder has signed with New England:
Congrats to @ckidder_37 signing with the New England Patriots today! @UMGRIZZLIES @Patriots
Despite a productive five-year collegiate career at the University of Montana, Kidder went unselected during this year's NFL draft. Instead, the two-time All-Big Sky defensive lineman signed a free agency contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Kidder spent the entire offseason with the Vikings until he was released last week.
Now, the 23-year old, who played both on the interior and the edge in Montana, will join a deep Patriots defensive line. Consequently, Kidder's chances of making the team - especially considering how late he joined it - do not look good right now. Given his versatility, however, he might be a candidate for the practice squad.