The New England Patriots only needed to release one player to make room for rookie cornerback Duke Dawson on Tuesday, but they cut two instead.
That means the Patriots must add a player to their 53-man roster by the time they play their next game against the New York Jets in 11 days. So, what do the Patriots have up their sleeves?
The most likely scenario is they re-sign defensive end/special teamer Geneo Grissom, whom they cut last week. The Patriots released a special-teamer in Nicholas Grigsby on Tuesday, and their kicking team has struggled all year.
Grissom only played four games this season before going down with an ankle injury. He’s been working out for teams since being released by the Patriots last week and could be back after the bye week.
If the Patriots choose to make a sexier move, then they could look to add a tight end. Rob Gronkowski missed two straight games with back and ankle injuries, and Dwayne Allen injured his knee Sunday in the Patriots’ loss to the Tennessee Titans. The only other tight end on the Patriots’ roster is Jacob Hollister, who appeared to lose weight while dealing with chest and hamstring injuries this season and isn’t the same type of blocker as Gronkowski and Allen.
Gronkowski is expected to play after the Patriots’ bye week, and they could survive with just one tight end in the meantime. The Patriots either could look to sign a tight end off the street or grab a player off another team’s practice squad if they want to add another option at the position.
There are no obvious names available on the street, but perhaps they could be interested in Houston Texans practice squad tight end Jerell Adams or San Francisco 49ers practice-squad option Cole Wick.
It’s a longshot, but perhaps the Patriots could snag running back C.J. Anderson who recently was released by the Carolina Panthers. They reportedly showed interest in Anderson when he was a restricted free agent in 2016.
Andreson carried the ball 24 times for 104 yards and added a 24-yard catch this season. He had 245 carries for 1,007 yards with three touchdowns and 28 catches for 224 yards and a touchdown last season with the Denver Broncos.
The Patriots currently have Sony Michel, James White and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson on their running back depth chart. Running back Rex Burkhead can’t be activated off injured reserve until Week 13. Michel and Burkhead have proven to be injury prone so Anderson could provide valuable depth down the homestretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.
The Patriots will make a roster move before they face the Jets. Now it’s a matter of who and when.
