Patriots reportedly release four as NFL’s 85-man roster deadline nears

The New England Patriots began the reduction from 90 to 85 active players on Sunday.

Linebacker Rashod Berry, tight end David Wells, wide receiver Marvin Hall and offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins have been released, according to reports from Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe and Mike Reiss of ESPN.

Berry, 24, signed with New England as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after playing on both sides of the ball at Ohio State. He was elevated from the practice squad to appear in three games during his rookie year, and played 29 snaps on defense to go with 13 snaps on special teams in the preseason opener versus the Washington Football Team.

Wells, 26, rejoined the Patriots prior to the start of training camp in July after spending one week on the practice squad last November. The San Diego State product has also been a member of the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs since going undrafted in 2018. Wells saw three offensive snaps and nine snaps in the kicking game Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.

Hall, 28, arrived on New England’s receiver depth chart in June after stops with the Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. The veteran from the University of Washington entered the league as a rookie free agent in 2016, and has caught 37 passes for 772 yards and five touchdowns through 45 career games. Hall played one snap on offense in his preseason Patriots debut, also rotating in on kickoff coverage and as a punt returner.

And Hawkins, 27, agreed to terms with the Patriots during the initial week of camp. A 2016 fourth-round pick out of LSU, Hawkins has appeared in 19 games through tours with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. He played one series at left tackle versus Washington.

Joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles are ahead for New England.

The NFL’s 85-man roster deadline is set for 4 p.m. ET Tuesday.