Patriots Waive Injured Receiver To Add Defensive Tackle

The Patriots are adding some extra beef to their defensive line.

New England on Tuesday claimed nose tackle Marquan McCall off waivers from the Carolina Panthers.

McCall appeared in 16 games as an undrafted rookie for Carolina last season, tallying 15 tackles, two tackles for loss and one quarterback hit. He was viewed as a potential 2023 starter before his release, which head coach Frank Reich blamed on “fit” and “scheme.”

“We think he’s going to be on a roster somewhere,” Reich told reporters Monday, via Sports Illustrated.

That prediction proved correct, as McCall now will vie for a roster spot in a Patriots position group that includes Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, Carl Davis, Daniel Ekuale, Sam Roberts, Jeremiah Pharms and Justus Tavai.

The 24-year-old Kentucky product is listed at 6-foot-3, 379 pounds, making him the heaviest player on New England’s roster. His NFL.com player profile lists him at 6-3, 345, however, which would be third-heaviest behind offensive linemen Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu.

To make room for McCall on their 90-man roster, the Patriots waived injured wide receiver Tre Nixon, who suffered a shoulder injury during Saturday night’s preseason game in Green Bay.

If he clears waivers, Nixon — a long shot to make the roster before his injury — would revert to New England’s injured reserve.

The Patriots will visit the Tennessee Titans this Friday night in their preseason finale. They must finalize their initial 53-man roster by next Tuesday.