Today in Patriots History
More Recent August 14 News
August 14, 2024:
Heading into the 2024 season, the Patriots clearly have issues along their offensive line that will likely complicate things until they get it figured out.
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The New England Patriots and Matthew Judon have spent much of this preseason at odds on a new contract extension, but it looks like the two sides will be parting ways.
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The Patriots have traded pass rusher Matthew Judon to the Falcons for a third-round pick.
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Judon will not be taking a page out of Haason Reddick's playbook this year
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The Falcons made a splashy move by adding Matthew Judon at a position of need, while the Patriots took another hit. But who won the trade?
www.usatoday.com
The Patriots' top pass rusher wanted a new contract. But instead, the team invested in the future by trading him. Now, who will replace him?
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Well ****
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August 14, 2023:
Despite landing on injured reserve once again in 2023, the Patriots are set to bring back linebacker Raekwon McMillan for the 2024 season.
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Veteran linebacker Raekwon McMillan will not play a snap during the 2023 NFL season.
But even though the 27-year-old is expected to be on the shelf all year due to injury, Bill Belichick and the Patriots clearly want to keep him around. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Patriots signed McMillan to a one-year extension through the 2024 season worth up to $2.245 million.
This marks the second time that the Patriots have handed out a contract extension to the linebacker while he was on injured reserve.
The former Dolphin and Raider established himself as a steady contributor last season in New England, appearing in 16 games and recording 35 tackles, five tackles for loss, and posting a touchdown against the Cardinals off of a fumble return.
August 14, 2022:
New England had originally signed cornerback Devin Hafford as an unrated free agent shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 NFL Draft.
www.si.com
Devin Hafford may have received less than his share of draft-worthy attention, as the product of an FCS program. However, there is a lot to like about his game. Hafford appeared in 56 games during his six-year tenure with the Tarleton State Texans, He is adequately sized for the position at 6-0, 195 pounds, while demonstrating impressive speed. He ran a 1.52-second 10-yard split at his pro day. In his 2021 senior season, Hafford compiled 50 tackles, six interceptions, two fumble recoveries — along with scoring one touchdown. He was later named the WAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Hafford did not last long: he was waived six days later. Earlier this year he was playing for Lowell in the Indoor Football League.
By: Mick Moninghoff
masspiratesfootball.com
August 14, 2015:
The New England Patriots have signed defensive lineman Casey Walker.
www.espn.com
Casey Walker spent part of last season on the Patriots' 53-man roster and practice squad. He played five games for the Patriots with one start and had 10 tackles and one sack.
Walker entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Carolina on April 30, 2013. He spent part of his rookie season and began the 2014 season on the practice squad before being signed by New England to the 53-man roster on Sept. 27.
He was released by the Patriots on Nov. 20 and signed to the practice squad on Nov. 22. He was signed by Baltimore to the 53-man roster from the Patriots practice squad on Dec. 16 and played in one regular-season game. Walker was released by Baltimore on Aug 5.
The Patriots released Walker on September 4. He played in eight NFL games, five of which were with the Pats.
August 14, 2014:
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Veteran blocking tight end Ben Hartsock, who signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots on Sunday, was released by the team on Thursday.
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Veteran blocking tight end Ben Hartsock, who signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots on Sunday, was released by the team on Thursday.
The release of Hartsock, who on Monday had talked about the Patriots being the quintessential role-playing team, leaves the Patriots thin at tight end at the moment. The top three players on the depth chart -- Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui and D.J. Williams -- are all either limited or not practicing because of health-relates issues. That will leave just Steve Maneri and fullback James Develin to handle tight-end type duties in Friday's preseason game against the Eagles, with undrafted free-agent Taylor McCuller also possibly getting into the mix.
The Patriots have shuffled personnel at the bottom of the tight end depth chart since Sunday, making a total of seven transactions at the position.
- Releasing undrafted free agent Justin Jones
- Releasing undrafted free agent Asa Watson
- Signing Hartsock
- Signing Maneri
- Signing undrafted free agent Terrence Miller
- Waiving Miller with an injury designation
-Releasing Hartsock
August 14, 2008:
The New England Patriots signed rookie offensive lineman Stephen Sene today. Additionally, the Patriots released first-year wide receiver Chris Dunlap.
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Chris Dunlap, 22, was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on July 21. He was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 14, 2007. The 5-foot-11-inch, 200-pound receiver participated in the Patriots' 2007 training camp before being released on Sept. 1, 2007. Dunlap attended Georgia Tech.
The Patriots announce the signing of OL Stephen Sene, and waive WR Chris Dunlap.
www.boston.com
The Patriots announced the signing of free-agent offensive lineman Stephen Sene today. To make room on the 80-man roster for Sene, the team waived receiver Chris Dunlap.
Sene, who played in college at Liberty, was most recently with the Rams. He will wear No. 64.
August 14, 2002:
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The New England Patriots signed cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock today.
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Veteran cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock makes a return engagement. SMITHFIELD, R.I. — Jimmy Hitchcock was a happy man yesterday after going from the NFL's worst team to the Super Bowl champions. The cor…
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Built for depth, the Patriots defensive backfield has been anything but deep or durable this summer. Yesterday, the Pats addressed that issue with a blast from the past.
The team signed veteran cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock, who played three years with the Patriots (1995-97) before spending the last four seasons in Minnesota and Carolina.
Hitchcock, who joined the Pats for practice in the afternoon and expects to be in the lineup for Saturday's preseason home game against Philadelphia, fondly remembers playing for then-secondary coach Bill Belichick during the Pats' 1996 Super Bowl season.
"I could tell right away he was smarter than everybody else," said Hitchcock, who had been without a job until the Pats called. "I can't believe he did it (win the Super Bowl) as soon as he did. But he did, and I'm proud of him."
Hitchcock is expected to fill the void created by injured defensive backs Tommy Knight (hamstring pull) and Leonard Myers (groin). While the regulars in the secondary - Ty Law, Otis Smith, Tebucky Jones, Lawyer Milloy, Victor Green - have been on the field every day and performing well, the nickel and dime coverages have suffered as a result of the injuries.
Hitchcock, an aggressive player on the field and a brash personality off it during his first stint with the Pats, was benched by coach Bill Parcells (in favor of Smith) midway through 1996. He returned to starting duty under Pete Carroll the next season before being traded to the Vikings for a third-round pick.
Hitchcock is known for taking chances on the field, and while that helped him make seven interceptions with the Vikings in 1998, it also has caused him to be burned badly at times.
Hitchcock said he realizes he won't be able to be such a gambler under Belichick.
"I'm just going to fit into the system, play hard, play aggressive, try to tackle well, get in great football shape and learn the defense," he said. "I'm a rookie today."
The Pats' secondary now has a distinct 1996-97 feel, as Law, Milloy, Smith and Hitchcock were all in the mix at that time. Hitchcock said he returns older and wiser.
"(I'm) smarter. A smarter guy," he said. "I've done some things out on the corner that gives you experience. I've been through everything. But I'm still the same Jimmy Hitchcock. Some things change, but not much."
Someone who is probably feeling the heat of Hitchcock's arrival is Knight, the veteran free agent cornerback who was brought in to play in nickel defenses and perhaps compete with Smith for starting duty.
Knight missed all of the spring minicamp with scraped hands before pulling his hamstring the second day of training camp. Knight said he hopes to return to the field by next week.
"It's been a bad-luck start in general, I guess," Knight said. "But you face adversity and keep fighting. Obviously, I'm very disappointed. But at the same time all I can do is focus on the things I need to do to get better."
August 14, 2000:
FOXBORO, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced the signing of veteran free agent wide receiver Chris Calloway and also released eight players, including veteran wide receiver Vincent Brisby.
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The New England Patriots announced the signing of veteran free agent wide receiver Chris Calloway and also released eight players, including veteran wide receiver Vincent Brisby. They also released wide receivers Aaron Bailey, Matt Bumgardner and Tony Gaiter, safeties Cory Gilliard and Rodney Rideau, cornerback Mike Woods and tight end Dave Stachelski. Following today's transactions the Patriots have 73 players on their active roster.
The New England Patriots Monday signed veteran wide receiver Chris Calloway after releasing wideout Vincent Brisby and seven others....
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Calloway, 32, was released by the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason.
He played in 11 games for the Falcons in 1999, starting six and finishing with 22 receptions for 314 yards and one touchdown.
Originally a fourth-round pick by Pittsburgh in 1990, Calloway spent his first two seasons with the Steelers before signing as a free agent with the New York Giants before the 1992 season. In six seasons with New York, Calloway had 334 receptions to rank third on the club's all-time list.
Overall in 10 seasons, Calloway has 381 receptions for 5,402 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Brisby, 29, is the most notable of the eight players the Patriots cut Monday. He had a breakout year for New England in 1995, amassing career highs of 66 catches and 974 yards while starting all 16 games. Since then, the seven-year veteran has managed just 48 catches in four injury-plagued campaigns.
Chris Calloway played in seven games for the Patriots in 2000, with two starts. He averaged 19.0 yards per catch, with five receptions (all for first downs), on ten targets. The Patriots released Calloway on October 21, thus ending his NFL career.
Vincent Brisby signed with the Jets, appearing in three games with four receptions, also ending his NFL career in 2000.
