Patriots Reportedly Release Fullback, Sign Tight End Amid OTAs

The Patriots reportedly made both an addition and a subtraction to their roster Thursday morning.

New England has released fullback Danny Vitale and signed tight end Troy Fumagalli, as first reported by The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride.

The Patriots signed Vitale in free agency last year, but the 27-year-old ultimately never played in a game for New England after opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. With Vitale now out of the equation, Jakob Johnson — who re-signed with the Patriots in March — is the only true fullback on New England’s roster.

Fumagalli, a 2018 fifth-round pick by the Broncos, joins the Patriots after spending parts of three seasons in Denver and a few weeks on the Houston Texans practice squad in 2020. The Wisconsin product logged 14 catches for 118 yards with two touchdowns over 19 career games.

The 26-year-old Fumagalli now is a part of a crowded and talented tight end group in Foxboro that includes newcomers Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, 2020 third-round picks Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene, third-year Patriot Matt LaCosse and the versatile Rashod Berry.