Patriots create open spot on their practice squad by releasing wide receiver Laquon Treadwell

The New England Patriots have not yet made the reported signing of free agent quarterback Garrett Gilbert official, but they have created a spot for him already. The Patriots, after all, cut wide receiver Laquon Treadwell from their practice squad on Tuesday.

Treadwell, 27, had been with the Patriots since early September. He spent the first four weeks of the season on the developmental roster and did not see any game action. However, he was named a Practice Player of the Week following New England’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.

With Treadwell no longer part of the equation, the Patriots’ practice squad is now down to 15 players — at least until Gilbert eventually joins the group as No. 16 on Wednesday.

Two of those spots are filled by wide receivers: Tre Nixon and Lynn Bowden Jr. are offering depth behind the wideouts on the active roster. New England has Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Lil’Jordan Humphrey signed to its 53-man team.

As for Treadwell, meanwhile, getting released from the Patriots practice squad is the latest chapter in a mostly disappointing career.

Originally entering the NFL as a first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2016, the Ole Miss product spent four seasons in Minnesota but never lived up to his draft status. Despite appearing in a combined 56 regular season and playoff games for the Vikings, he caught just 65 total passes for 701 yards and two touchdowns.

The organization declined Treadwell’s fifth-year option, and he left during the 2020 free agency period. He later spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars, before arriving in New England for a couple of weeks.