NFL Rumors: Patriots Signing Free-Agent Slot Receiver Bruce Ellington

The New England Patriots reportedly are adding another player to their shallow wide receiver depth chart. The Patriots are signing wide receiver Bruce Ellington to a one-year deal, a source told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Thursday.

Ellington, 27, visited the Patriots on Thursday.

He came into the NFL as a fourth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2014 and has spent time with the New York Jets, Houston Texans and Detroit Lions. The Lions released him last month.

He has 79 career receptions for 769 yards with five touchdowns in four NFL seasons. He had 31 catches for 224 yards with a touchdown last season with the Texans and Lions. He caught 23 passes for 132 yards in just four games with the Lions.

Ellington’s most productive season came in 2017, when he had 29 catches for 330 yards with three touchdowns in 11 games.

He also has 50 career kick returns for 1,279 yards and 48 career punt returns for 372 yards. The Patriots could be looking for a kick returner after Cordarrelle Patterson departed in free agency.

Ellington, who’s 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, does the majority of his work out of the slot, though he can play outside. He joins Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, Matthew Slater, Braxton Berrios, Josh Gordon and Damoun Patterson on the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart.

The Patriots have looked into slot receivers Adam Humphries and Cole Beasley in free agency. They were signed by the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills, respectively. The Patriots also reportedly have shown interest in Golden Tate.