Running back Tyler Gaffney will not spend his third consecutive NFL season on injured reserve.
Gaffney was waived from the New England Patriots’ injured reserve list Friday with an injury settlement. The 25-year-old injured his foot in the Patriots’ final preseason game.
An injury settlement is determined by the amount of time it will take a player to fully recover from an injury. The Patriots will pay him for that period of time unless he signs with another team.
Another team could claim Gaffney, which would put him on its active roster. Gaffney also would be free to sign with another team if he clears waivers Saturday.
Gaffney can’t re-sign with the Patriots for the amount of time determined in the injury settlement, plus three weeks. If, for example, they reached a two-week injury settlement, then Gaffney couldn’t re-sign with the Patriots for five weeks under NFL rules.
Gaffney is practice-squad eligible and also could lock on with a team’s scout team if he clears waivers. He couldn’t sign to the Patriots’ practice squad for his allotted injury settlement timeline plus three weeks.
Gaffney spent his first two NFL seasons on the Patriots’ injured reserve list with knee injuries. The 6-foot, 220-pound running back impressed in the preseason with 35 carries for 152 yards with a touchdown.
Thumbnail photo via Jim Dedmon/USA TODAY Sports Images
