Terrell McClain, we hardly knew you.
The Panthers' 2011 third-round pick stuck around in New England even shorter than he was in Carolina. Tom Curran from CSNNE.com tweeted that McClain was released on Tuesday by the Patriots.
Pats release defensive lineman Terrell McClain. 3rd-round choice in 2011 (Carolina), McClain was signed last week. #PatriotsTalk
— Tom E. Curran (@tomecurran) October 2, 2012
McClain lasted just one season with the Panthers and just one game with the Patriots. He played sixteen snaps for New England on Sunday against the Bills according to ESPN Boston, with all of those coming in the last two drives when the Patriots were already well ahead.
That open roster spot will be filled by linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who was with the team in training camp. Curran was also the first to report on Carpenter's return, while Mary Paoletti confirmed it.
Bobby Carpenter expected back in Foxboro this week to shore up linebacker group in case Hightower hammy is big issue.
— Tom E. Curran (@tomecurran) October 2, 2012
Source tells me #Patriots will indeed be bringing back Bobby Carpenter, as @tomecurran noted earlier.
— Mary Paoletti (@Mary_Paoletti) October 2, 2012
Andy Hart of Patriots Football Weekly had a premonition about the signing on Monday evening.
Thinking out loud here, but could injury for Dont'a Hightower on #Patriots defense mean call back for Bobby Carpenter for experience/depth?
— Andy Hart (@JumboHart) October 2, 2012
Carpenter was a surprise cut by the Patriots in August after spending most of training camp and the preseason running with the Patriots' first and second units. When Dont'a Hightower stepped into the starting strong-side linebacker position almost immediately, it eliminated any chance of Carpenter having a full time role with the Patriots.
With Hightower nursing a hamstring injury, this could promote Carpenter into the starting role on Sunday against the Broncos. The Patriots' other option would be to move Rob Ninkovich to strong-side linebacker, where he played last year, and start Jermaine Cunningham at defensive end.
Carpenter can play all three linebacker positions and could immediately step in as New England's best linebacker in coverage. He's entering his seventh season in the NFL. Carpenter's father, Rob Carpenter played running back for the Giants while Bill Belichick was an assistant in New York.
In the flurry of Patriots transactions, they also reportedly cut practice squad offensive lineman Thomas Austin according to Field Yates from ESPN Boston.
