Patriots bring in former Eagles safety Tre Sullivan for a free agency workout

The New England Patriots were quite busy on Tuesday. Not only did the team place rookie wide receiver/punt returner Gunner Olszewski on season-ending injured reserve, it also activated starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn from the list to its 53-man roster. On top of those two transactions, the Patriots also found the time to bring a free agent in for a workout: as first reported by ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss, the team had safety Tre Sullivan in town.

Sullivan originally entered the league as an undrafted rookie signing by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. After not appearing in a game in his first season with the team, the Shepherd product played in 12 regular season and both of his team’s playoff contests in 2018, serving not just as a core special teamer but also as a rotational free safety — one that finished the year surrendering six catches on 11 targets for a combined 39 yards.

Despite a solid second year in the NFL, the Eagles decided to part ways with the 24-year-old during this year’s preseason. He failed to find a job afterwards, and ultimately entered the XFL’s inaugural draft where he was selected in the fifth phase by the DC Defenders (a team also employing short-time Patriots defensive tackle Josh Augusta). His recent workout in New England, however, could theoretically lead to a change of plans and Sullivan remaining in the NFL after all.

While it seems unlikely that the Patriots will sign Sullivan to their active roster just yet — unless in the unlikely scenario that Patrick Chung’s heel and chest injuries turn out to be more serious than originally expected — seeing him join the practice squad is certainly an option: New England currently has three open spots on its developmental roster after a series of departures, and could invest one of them in Sullivan to bolster the depth in the secondary.