UPDATE (5:50 p.m. ET): The New England Patriots announced Tuesday night they had officially released wide receiver Brandon LaFell and tight end Scott Chandler, hours after numerous media outlets reported it.
ORIGINAL STORY: The New England Patriots are making major changes to their offensive skill positions.
The Patriots released wide receiver Brandon LaFell and tight end Scott Chandler on Wednesday, CSNNE.com’s Tom E. Curran first reported. The news was confirmed by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss.
The cuts free up nearly $5Â million worth of salary cap space for the Patriots, who now have more than $17.3 million in room.
LaFell caught 37 passes for 515 yards with no touchdowns in 2015, one year after a career season in which he had 74 receptions for 953 yards with seven scores. LaFell played with the Carolina Panthers from 2010 to 2013 before signing a three-year deal with the Patriots in 2014.
LaFell had a cap hit of $3.675 million due in 2016.
Chandler signed a two-year deal with the Patriots last offseason but caught just 23 passes for 259 yards with four touchdowns. Chandler had a cap hit of $3.050 million heading into 2016.
Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Keshawn Martin, Aaron Dobson, Matthew Slater and Chris Harper remain on the Patriots’ roster at wide receiver. The Patriots have Rob Gronkowski, Michael Williams and A.J. Derby at tight end.
Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
