As the Patriots are adding a new toy to their struggling secondary, a familiar face will be leaving the team.
Veteran wide receiver Deion Branch was released Saturday along with special teamer Malcolm Williams to make room for cornerback Aqib Talib and wide receiver Greg Salas.
Branch was cut out of training camp but re-signed with the team Sept. 18. He injured his hamstring Friday at practice and was questionable for this week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Branch had 80 yards on nine receptions in seven games this season and has spent seven total seasons with the Patriots in his 12-year career.
Salas was on the practice squad prior to his addition to the 53-man roster. The Patriots traded a 2015 draft pick for Salas on Sept. 1, then released him Sept. 18. Salas has been on New England’s practice squad since Sept. 20.
The Patriots traded for Talib during the last moments of Nov. 1’s NFL trading deadline. He was acquired along with a seventh-round pick for a fourth-round pick. Talib served the last game of a four-game suspension last week. New England was given a roster exemption for Talib, which meant that he didn’t need to be added to the active roster until Monday. The move to add him to the roster likely means he will play Sunday against the Colts.
