The New England Patriots waived offensive lineman Najee Toran on Tuesday.
Toran, who came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2018, was one of eight Patriots players who opted out for the 2020 NFL season over concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toran originally joined New England on Sept. 2, 2019, when he signed to New England’s practice squad. He signed a future contract on Jan. 6, 2020.
The Patriots added interior offensive linemen Alex Redmond and James Ferentz on Monday. New England also has offensive linemen Isaiah Wynn, Michael Onwenu, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Trent Brown, Ted Karras, Justin Herron, Yodny Cajuste, Korey Cunningham, Marcus Martin and William Sherman on its 90-man roster.
Running back Brandon Bolden, fullback Danny Vitale, wide receiver Marqise Lee, tight end Matt LaCosse, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung opted out alongside Toran. Lee was waived, Cannon was traded to the Houston Texans and Chung retired this offseason.
The Patriots currently have 88 players on their roster. Chung is technically still on the roster since his retirement hasn’t processed. Fullback Jakob Johnson does not currently take up a spot on the Patriots’ roster since he’s an international pathway program player. The Patriots therefore have three open spots on their roster.
The Patriots also officially signed quarterback Brian Hoyer and sixth-round pick Joshuah Bledsoe on Tuesday.
