The New England Patriots‘ roster maneuvering didn’t end with Tuesday’s roster cuts.
On Wednesday, New England claimed four players off waivers, including two offensive tackles, one defensive tackle, and one linebacker. As of this writing, the Patriots didn’t have any open spots on their 53-man roster, so they needed to make space for all four players via releases or injury list designations.
Patriots Add 4 Players via Waiver Claims
LB Curtis Jacobs (Kansas City Chiefs)
Curtis Jacobs joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent this offseason but was released ahead of the roster cutdown deadline. The Penn State product will join a linebacker room that includes Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Raekwon McMillan, and Christian Elliss.
OT Demontrey Jacobs (Denver Broncos)
Undrafted in 2023, Demontrey Jacobs spent last season with the Broncos but was waived ahead of roster cutdowns. He played his college ball at South Florida and will look to provide developmental depth at offensive tackle, the Patriots’ top position of need.
DT Eric Johnson (Indianapolis Colts)
Eric Johnson, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, was a casualty of roster cutdowns. The 6-foot-4, 299-pound defensive tackle will add more depth to a position group that will begin the season without Christian Barmore, who was diagnosed with blood clots early in training camp.
Johnson saw a combined 391 defensive snaps over the last two seasons with the Colts.
OT Zachary Thomas (Los Angeles Rams)
Zachary Thomas, a sixth-round pick in 2022, also will provide developmental depth at tackle. He hasn’t started any games in the NFL but saw 35 offensive snaps last season.
Zero Released Patriots Claimed Off Waivers
The Patriots released/waived 30 players ahead of roster cutdowns, and none were claimed off waivers. Some likely will rejoin New England as members of the practice squad.
The waiver-claim process is a solid barometer for determining a roster’s overall talent. The Patriots’ failure to claim any players off waivers could be viewed as an indictment of their current roster.