The Patriots are giving another member of their 2022 practice squad a shot at sticking on the roster in 2023.
New England on Monday signed wide receiver Lynn Bowden to a future contract. The move came three weeks after the Patriots locked up most of their final 16-man practice squad to future deals.
Bowden spent the entire 2022 season on the Patriots’ P-squad, coming over from the Miami Dolphins after cutdown day. The 25-year-old earned one gameday elevation, playing 14 offensive snaps in a Week 9 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Though he has yet to make any substantial contributions at the NFL level, Bowden remains an intriguing prospect with a highly versatile skill set. He was a productive Wildcat quarterback at Kentucky and also has played running back and returned punts and kickoffs in the past.
Before the Las Vegas Raiders drafted him in the third round in 2020, Bowden won the Paul Hornung Award, given annually to the most versatile player in college football. Patriots All-Pro rookie Marcus Jones received the same honor two years later.
Bowden will compete for a roster spot in a Patriots receiving corps that could look substantially different next season. DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton and fellow future signee Tre Nixon all are under contract, but Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor both are impending free agents.
Players who sign future contracts cannot negotiate with other clubs unless they are released. The Patriots have signed a total of 15 since their season ended earlier this month:
WR Lynn Bowden
LB Olakunle Fatukasi
LB Terez Hall
DB Brad Hawkins
OL Hayden Howerton
DB Quandre Mosely
LB Calvin Munson
OL Bill Murray
WR Tre Nixon
DL Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
DB Rodney Randle
DL LaBryan Ray
TE Matt Sokol
RB J.J. Taylor
TE Scotty Washington
Of that group, only Fatukasi and Randle were external additions.
