Could Patriots Reunite With Versatile Defender After Release?

A former Patriots defensive back reached the open market on the same day New England tweaked its cornerback depth chart.

Could the two reunite? Crazier things have happened.

The Houston Texans announced Monday they waived cornerback Myles Bryant and running back J.J. Taylor. Both Bryant and Taylor started their respective careers in Foxboro, Mass.

Bryant signed a one-year deal with the Texans last offseason after he spent his first four seasons in New England. Bryant played 55 games for Bill Belichick’s Patriots and caught on as an undrafted free agent given his versatility in the secondary.

Taylor played his first three NFL seasons with the Patriots before he was released ahead of the roster cutdown in 2023. The 5-foot-6, 185-pound Taylor spent the 2023 campaign on Houston’s practice squad.

Bryant would make sense for the Patriots, especially given the defense’s thinning depth at safety. While Bryant primarily played in the slot (1,361 snaps) during his tenure with the Patriots, he also saw 231 snaps at free safety, per Pro Football Focus.

New England’s safety depth took a hit with Jabrill Peppers away from the team and Kyle Dugger dealing with injury. Dugger returned from a three-game absence Sunday. Hybrid defender Marte Mapu and undrafted rookie Dell Pettus currently headline the depth chart at free safety.

As for the Patriots, New England on Monday released cornerback Marco Wilson and activated Alex Austin to their 53-man roster.