Patriots fill out their practice squad by reportedly further bolstering their depth in the trenches

The New England Patriots entered the day with three open spots on their practice squad after announcing the first wave of moves on Sunday. Now, it looks like those spots have been filled: according to reports out of Gillette Stadium, offensive linemen Colby Gossett and Najee Toran as well as edge defender Gerri Green have lockers set up — an indication that all three men have joined the Patriots via their practice squad.

Let’s take a closer look at them.

OG Colby Gossett

Gossett originally joined the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, but he failed to make the team’s 53-man roster. After spending the first month of the season on the club’s practice squad, the Arizona Cardinals signed him off it and added him to their active roster. Gossett went on to appear in five games for his new team, starting four at left guard. His performance, however, was not exactly encouraging: he allowed five sacks and did also not fare much better as a run blocker.

OG Najee Toran

Toran also entered the NFL in 2018, albeit as an undrafted free agent. The San Francisco 49ers picked the 6-foot-2, 305-pound lineman up and he went on to spend his entire rookie career with the team: he started and ended the season on the team’s practice squad, spending some time in between on the active roster without seeing the field. He signed a futures contract with the the 49ers but was let go again over the weekend.

DE Gerri Green

A sixth-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts this year — coincidentally with the 199th overall selection that brought Tom Brady to New England nineteen years earlier — Green saw considerable action as a defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid during the preseason. However, he failed to crack the team’s depth chart as a rotational pass rusher and was released on cutdown day. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defender, who was described as an outstanding locker room presence heading into the draft, found a new home quickly.

With the three men now into the fold, the Patriots’ practice squad looks as follows:

TE Stephen Anderson

LB Terez Hall

LB Calvin Munson

OT Tyree St. Louis

DE Ufomba Kamalu

DE Nick Thurman

OT Dan Skipper

OG Colby Gossett

OG Najee Toran

DE Gerri Green

FB Jakob Johnson*

*does not count against 10-man limit due to international status

What stands out is that nine of the ten practice squad spots not filled by the roster-exempt Jakob Johnson — a player that cannot be promoted to the 53-man roster this season — are taken by linemen on either the offensive or defensive side of the ball. The Patriots surely value their depth in the trenches, but one has to wonder whether or not players at other positions will be brought into the fold as well sooner rather than later.