The Patriots kept busy this week as they worked toward getting the roster in place for next week’s season opener, and one of the bigger moves was bringing back center Ben Brown less than a week after cutting him.
Brown is back on the 53-man roster after being released earlier this week, despite initially making the team. He had been one of New England’s more reliable reserve offensive linemen during training camp, but a preseason injury cost him significant time and could keep him out for a while longer.
When Brown was available last season, he was on the field in all 17 games and made four starts. He mostly lines up at center, though he has also filled in at guard.
New England also added another offensive piece in undrafted rookie linebacker Erick Hunter, who was signed to the 53-man roster. The 6-foot-2, 224-pound defender put together a strong year at Morgan State, where he earned FCS All-American honors. He came to the Patriots after spending training camp with the Lions.
The roster churn didn’t stop there. The Patriots added five players to the practice squad, including linebacker K.J. Britt, who was in camp with the team this summer, along with defensive tackle Jalen Hunt, offensive lineman Jake Kubas, and linebacker Jose Ramirez, both of whom are new to the organization.
On Wednesday, the Patriots also revealed their team captains, with votes from the locker room selecting Drake Maye, Marcus Jones, Morgan Moses, Robert Spillane, Hunter Henry, and Kevin Byard.
In Other News...
Patriots Rookie Earned A Roster Spot In A Way Nobody Expected
Quintayvious Hutchins found himself in a very modern kind of NFL moment this week, staying on the New England Patriots 53-man roster after the cutdown deadline and learning about it the same way plenty of fans did. The rookie outside linebacker had put together a solid training camp and preseason, and that work helped him stick as one of four outside linebackers on the roster.
What made the moment stand out was the route it took to reach him. Instead of a direct call or message from the team, Hutchins discovered he had made the Patriots through a social media post, a reminder of how abrupt and impersonal roster day can be even for players who did enough to survive it. For a rookie trying to carve out a role, the news was positive, but the way it arrived added an unexpected twist to an already tense process. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Pass Rush Problem Could Revive One Trade Possibility
Harold Landry III being unavailable to open the season has left the Patriots with a clear pass-rush hole, and that kind of need tends to keep front-office phones busy once the league settles in. One name that has lingered in the conversation is Josh Sweat of the Cardinals, a player New England has been tied to before and one whose fit would make sense for a defense looking for more pressure off the edge.
Arizona, though, is not currently planning to move him, which is the part that keeps this from being a simple fit-and-forget scenario. Dan Graziano has noted that the picture could change if the Cardinals drift out of contention, and if that happens the Patriots would be one of the teams worth watching before the trade deadline as they weigh whether to finally address a problem that has been visible since September. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Vrabel Is At The Center Of A Serious Patriots Media Controversy
The Athletics internal review into Dianna Russinis relationship with Mike Vrabel has put an uncomfortable spotlight on how closely NFL reporting and team access can overlap. The investigation centered on whether the former reporters connection to the Patriots head coach affected her coverage, and it concluded that the relationship ran afoul of the outlets standards because it was not disclosed, even though investigators did not find clear evidence that her reporting was biased.
Russini resigned while the review was still underway, leaving the episode to linger as much about newsroom process as about one reporter or one coach. The Athletic also said it would recommend editorial policy changes meant to guard against similar conflicts in the future, a reminder that for a franchise like the Patriots, the questions surrounding Vrabels circle can travel well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]