The New England Patriots retained seven players on reserve-futures contracts to begin 2020.
Defensive end Tashawn Bower has since become the eighth, the organization announced Tuesday.
Bower, 24, signed to New England’s practice squad in November. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound LSU product originally entered the league with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Bower appeared in seven games across two regular seasons with the Vikings, recording seven tackles and one sack through 63 snaps on defense and eight snaps on special teams. A torn Achilles, suffered last March, saw Bower waived from Minnesota’s non-football injury list in October.
Receivers Devin Ross and Quincy Adeboyejo, offensive lineman Najee Toran, defensive lineman Nick Thurman, linebacker Terez Hall, and defensive backs Obi Melifonwu and Adarius Pickett all previously reached futures pacts with the Patriots. Bower now accompanies them.
Fellow edge-rusher Eric Lee, who returned to New England as a member of the practice squad in December, remains unsigned.