FOXBORO, Mass. — After sending Kony Ealy and Caleb Kidder packing over the weekend, the New England Patriots made moves to shore up their front seven ahead of Thursday’s preseason finale.
The Patriots on Monday signed defensive end Mikey Bart and outside linebackers Christian Kuntz and Nick Usher. All three are undrafted rookies.
“We feel like we’d be able to give them an opportunity to play in the game and take a look at them, see how it goes,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said.
Bart and Usher previously signed with the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, respectively, but were cut earlier this summer. The Patriots are Kuntz’s first NFL team, though he did have a tryout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bart, a North Carolina product, tallied 10 1/2 sacks over his final two seasons in Chapel Hill, including 6 1/2 as a junior in 2015.
Kuntz is a small-school product, having starred at Duquesne at the FCS level of Division I. As a senior in 2016, he ranked second in the nation in both sacks (11 1/2) and tackles for loss (24) and was a first-team STATS All-American.
The Patriots this year have taken a liking to pass rushers from Division I’s lower circuit, also drafting Derek Rivers from Youngstown State and signing Keionta Davis from Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Usher was UTEP’s most productive pass rusher last season, leading the Miners with 5 1/2 sacks and eight tackles for loss. He attended high school at Serra High in California, the alma mater of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
The Patriots will close out the preseason Thursday night against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. Belichick said all three newcomers could play in the game if they prove they are ready.
“We’ll see where they are,” the coach said. “I mean, if they’re not ready, no. If they’re ready, then possibly, yep.”
NFL teams must trim their rosters from 90 players to 53 by Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports Images
