The Patriots announced three transactions on Monday, placing linebacker Tyrone McKenzie on injured reserve, putting tackle Mark LeVoir on the reserve/PUP list and placing wide receiver Brandon Tate on the reserve/N.F.I. list.
McKenzie was drafted by the Patriots in the third round (97th overall) out of South Florida. McKenzie played in 49 games with 36 starts during his collegiate career at Michigan State, Iowa State and South Florida. He played in 11 games at Michigan State as a true freshman in 2004 before transferring to Iowa State in 2005. After playing for Iowa State in 2006, he transferred to South Florida for his final two collegiate seasons.
LeVoir was claimed off waivers by the Patriots from the St. Louis Rams on Sept. 1, 2008. He played in all 16 games for New England in 2008 and made two starts at right tackle. LeVoir originally signed with Chicago as a rookie free agent out of Notre Dame in 2006. He spent the entire 2006 season and part of the 2007 season on the Chicago practice squad before being signed to the St. Louis 53-man roster midway through the 2007 season.
Tate was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2009 draft (83rd overall). A wide receiver from North Carolina, Tate finished his collegiate career as the NCAA leader in combined kick return yards with 3,523 and is the ACC's career leader in kickoff returns (109) and kickoff return yardage (2,688).
