The Patriots finally added some depth at defensive tackle on Wednesday.
After losing Vince Wilfork for the season more than a week ago, the Patriots addressed their waning depth on the interior of the defensive line by signing veteran Andre Neblett.
Neblett, 25, spent the past three seasons with the Carolina Panthers, recording 40 tackles, three sacks and two fumble recoveries in 30 games. He originally signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent out of Temple in 2010. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason but was one of the team’s final cuts in the preseason. His connection to Greg Schiano, who is a close associate of Bill Belichick, in Tampa raises some intrigue, especially considering Belichick’s penchant for Rutgers players over the last few seasons.
The Patriots now have four defensive tackles on the active roster, including veteran Tommy Kelly and undrafted rookies Joe Vellano and Chris Jones. Kelly suffered an injury and was unable to finish Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, which may have heightened the need to add another interior lineman.
The Patriots also announced that they re-signed linebacker Ja’Gared Davis and safety Kanorris Davis to the practice squad on Wednesday. Both players were signed to the active 53-man roster and played on special teams during the loss to the Bengals over the weekend.
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