Today In Patriots History August 24: Happy 29th birthday to Ja'Whaun Bentley

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
18th LB from the 2018 NFL Draft​

Happy 29th birthday to Ja'Whaun Bentley
Born August 24, 1996 in Glenarden, Maryland
Patriot inside linebacker, 2018-2024; uniform #51, #8
Pats 5th round (143rd overall) selection of the 2018 NFL Draft, from Purdue
Pats résumé: seven seasons, 83 games (68 starts), plus two postseason games; four-time defensive captain; one ring (SB 53)


I am somewhat surprised that the former Pats ILB is still a free agent this deep into the 2025 offseason. While I do understand why he was let go within the new regime's defensive scheme, is Bentley's pro football career over at age 29? Deatrich Wise (Washington), Jonathan Jones (Washington), Joe Cardona (Miami), Jake Andrews (Houston) were all let go by Vrabel as well, and signed elsewhere. The only other player that received significant playing time that was released that did not catch on with another team is David Andrews, who retired. Perhaps the days of a role for a run-stuffing linebacker are gone in the modern pass-happy NFL. Losing Bentley very early in the season a year ago was one of the reasons the 2024 defense regressed so profoundly; he averaged 110 tackles a year as a starter with the Pats.

April 29, 2018:

How Ja'Whaun Bentley Fits With The New England Patriots

On Saturday, the New England Patriots finally made the call to address the linebacker situation during the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. With the 143rd pick, the Patriots selected Ja'Whaun Bentley, linebacker and three-time captain of the Purdue Boilermakers.

lastwordonsports.com

During the 2017 season, injury knocked Dont’a Hightower off the board and into the Limbo of the Injured Reserves. Harvey Langi, a 2017 undrafted free agent signing for the Patriots, was involved in a motor vehicle accident with his wife and also found himself off the table for New England. All of a sudden, Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts found themselves headlining the linebacking corps with Marquis Flowers and Geneo Grissom in supporting roles. The Patriots had to work their magic to try and restock the linebacking corps, bringing in Nic Grigsby and former Pittsburgh Steelers legend James Harrison.​

The Patriots lack of depth at linebacker felt exposed for much of the season despite the signings. There was widespread speculation that the Patriots would address this lack of depth in the draft. This is where Bentley fits into the equation for the time being. The linebacker room will get Hightower and Langi back in 2018. However, Harrison has since retired and Grissom is expected to return to his place on the defensive line. Bentley will most likely serve as a rotational reserve inside linebacker for the Patriots during his rookie season.​

Bentley was graded at 5.19 by NFL scouts, giving him a “better-than-average change to make an NFL roster.” One of the biggest criticisms about Bentley was that he lacked speed, and unfortunately, speed cannot be taught. However, Bentley possesses strength and consistent ability to win head-to-head battles.​

Bentley is going to be best used in obvious running situations. His lack of speed and inability to change direction quickly makes him rather inefficient as a coverage linebacker. This notion is backed up by the two interceptions in four years that Bentley gathered at Purdue. But his ability to defeat blockers with strong, fast hands, solid tackling fundamentals, and powerful build made him one of the best run-defenders in the Big Ten.​

It looks like Bentley could compete with Elandon Roberts down the road with significant development. But for the time being, it will serve linebackers coach Brian Flores well to develop Bentley’s ability to slide and loosen up some of the stiffness he demonstrates in open-field coverage.​

Bill Belichick loves players out of the Big Ten conference. Bentley fits that bill as a four-year Purdue Boilermaker. In 32 games, Bentley racked up 272 total tackles. However, the most impressive statistic about Bentley’s college career is that he is the first three-time captain in Purdue Boilermaker history.​

After the 2017 season in which everyone and their cousin seemingly had inside information about the Patriots horrid internal culture, Belichick is making a statement by taking one of the Big 10’s biggest leaders. Bentley may not start many games in 2018, but he will certainly add intangible strength to the locker room din.​

March 28, 2019:

Why Patriots Fans Should Be Excited About Linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley - NESN.com

Three weeks into the 2018 NFL season, the New England Patriots’ most exciting rookie wasn’t running back Sony Michel or cornerback J.C. Jackson. It was linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. In the first few months of his Patriots career, Bentley had gone from a relatively unknown fifth-round draft pick...

nesn.com

Three weeks into the 2018 NFL season, the New England Patriots’ most exciting rookie wasn’t running back Sony Michel or cornerback J.C. Jackson.​

It was linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.​

In the first few months of his Patriots career, Bentley had gone from a relatively unknown fifth-round draft pick to New England’s No. 1 middle linebacker, bumping out incumbent starter Elandon Roberts.​

The 22-year-old Purdue product started two of the Patriots’ first three games, tallying 14 tackles and an interception after also returning a fumble for a touchdown during the preseason.​

May 13, 2019:

Ja’Whaun Bentley: New England Patriots X-Factors

New England Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley was one of the most promising rookies in the league in 2018 and should be healthy for the start of 2019

lastwordonsports.com

Nobody expected much of anything from Ja’Whaun Bentley when he first joined the Patriots. Selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, most expected Bentley to fight for one of the last spots on the Patriots roster. He was supposedly a north-south linebacker who didn’t have the speed or agility to go sideline-to-sideline.​

Bentley immediately proved that scouting report wrong in the preseason. The rookie was one of New England’s best defenders in August and seemingly made big plays every time he stepped on the field. Playing in three of the four preseason games, Bentley recorded 15 tackles, one pass defended, one forced fumble, and even returned a fumble for a touchdown. He demonstrated the ability to make plays all over the field both against the run and the pass.​

Bentley’s impressive preseason earned him a starting spot in the Week One lineup, and the fifth-round selection proved his preseason wasn’t a fluke. Appearing in three games (starting two), Bentley recorded 14 tackles, one quarterback hit, one interception, and one pass defended. With Hightower slowly working his way back from injury, Bentley essentially served as the top linebacker alongside Kyle Van Noy.​

Unfortunately, Bentley didn’t have the chance to build on his hot start to the season. The rookie suffered a biceps injury late in New England’s 26-10 loss to the Detroit Lions and landed on the injured reserve. Since Duke Dawson and Rex Burkhead were already designated to return from their respective injured reserve stints, Bentley’s season was over before it really began.​

Ja’Whaun Bentley was a steal in the fifth round and should be one of New England’s best defenders in the 2019 season. Bentley displayed great athleticism, ball skills, and tackling ability throughout his rookie year and those skills should carry over into 2019.​

If Bentley can build on his rookie season and stay healthy, then New England could have one of the best linebacker trios in the league. Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy are both great players, but adding Bentley to the mix could send New England’s defense over the top.​

May 31, 2024:

PFF Linebacker Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2024 NFL season

We rank the top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2024 season, beginning with the San Francisco 49ers' Fred Warner.

www.pff.com

32. Ja’Whaun Bentley, New England Patriots​

Bentley has earned PFF grades above 65.0 in each of the past three seasons and in five of his six seasons in the NFL. It’s probably unfair to expect him to be at the level he was in 2022, when his 80.4 PFF grade ranked eighth among linebackers, but he has proven himself to be a solid starter to this point.​

Sept 16, 2024:

Patriots defensive captain Ja’Whaun Bentley reportedly out for season with torn pec

According to Ian Rapoport, Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley is expected to miss the rest of the year with a torn pectoral muscle.

www.boston.com

The Patriots’ defense might be without one of its most impactful leaders for the remainder of the 2024 season.​

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, veteran linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley suffered a torn pectoral muscle during Sunday’s overtime loss to the Seahawks and is expected to miss the rest of the year.​

It’s a sizable loss for New England’s defense, with the 28-year-old Bentley establishing himself as one of the team’s top leaders over the last few years.​

The four-time defensive captain went down with an injury in the closing minutes of the first quarter of Sunday’s home opener at Gillette Stadium, with the Purdue product eventually ruled out for the remainder of the game.​

Bentley has served as a defensive captain four times already in New England.​

Bentley has long been an effective force against the run, totaling 100 or more tackles in each of the previous three seasons. Despite only playing in four-plus quarters of football this season, Bentley is currently tied for second on the team with 12 tackles.​

Bentley, who has also developed into a solid interior pass-rusher when called upon, and also offered added value to Jerod Mayo and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington by wearing the green dot as the defense’s signal-caller out on the field.​

Sept 21, 2024:

Rob Ninkovich highlights Jerod Mayo's high-IQ while explaining magnitude of Ja'Whaun Bentley's injury

Rob Ninkovich compared the loss of Ja'Whaun Bentley to losing Jerod Mayo in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Read more on Boston.com.

www.boston.com

As for this season’s New England defense, losing Bentley has proven difficult so far. A Patriots team that was stout defensively through two weeks missed a lot of tackles in Bentley’s absence against the New York Jets.​

Mar 28, 2025:

Patriots release 3-time captain Ja'Whaun Bentley after 7 seasons

Veteran linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley, a three-time captain for the New England Patriots, was released Friday after seven seasons with the organization.

www.espn.com

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Bentley totaled more than 100 tackles in each of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons, setting a career high with 122 in 2022. He tore his left pectoral muscle in Week 2 of last season, missing the rest of the year, and said last weekend at a season-ticket member event that he had recently been fully cleared.​

Earlier in March, when the Patriots signed former Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane to a three-year, $33 million contract that could be worth up to $37.5 million, it sparked a question of whether Bentley's spot on the team was in jeopardy.​

Ja'Whaun Bentley Trivia:
Prior to the start of the 2021 season, Bentley changed his jersey number from 51 to 8, thus becoming the first Patriots player to use a new number with the new relaxed jersey-number rule.

Ja'Whaun Bentley - Highlights - New England Patriots - NFL 2023 Season [10:48]




2024 Patriots Media Guide

Ja'Whaun Bentley Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Ja'Whaun Bentley Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Ja'Whaun Bentley

Ja'Whaun Bentley - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Carl Garrett​

Aug 24, 2020:
Former Patriot RB Carl Garrett passes away at the age of 72 in his hometown of Denton, Texas

Carl Garrett was a third round draft pick by the Boston Patriots in the 1969 'common' draft, from New Mexico Highlands. He led the Pats in rushing yardage in 1971, and ranks 19th in the team's record books with 2,235 career rushing yards for the Pats. Garrett was named to the AFL All-Star team his rookie season when he led the league with 5.0 yards per carry, and was named the Sporting News Rookie of the Year.

Jim Nance and Carl Garrett combined to be a thunder-and-lightning duo in the backfield for a few years. Unfortunately his time with the Patriots consisted of his quaerterbacks being Mike Taliaferro, Joe Kapp, and Jim Plunkett's first two years, combined with the infamous head coaching of Clive Rush, John Mazur and Phil Bengston.

Dec 12, 1970: Carl Garrett takes a handoff from Joe Kapp​

Carl Garrett -- FS64

In college, Garrett set school career records with 3862 rushing yards (averaging 7.4 yards-per-carry), 69 touchdowns, and 418 points scored. He received first-team NAIA All-American honors in 1966 and was a second-team choice in ’67. Garrett was chosen by the Patriots in the third round of the 1969 AFL/NFL draft and, with his great speed, had an immediate impact, rushing for 691 yards, catching 29 passes for another 267 yards, averaging 28.3 yards on 28 kickoff returns and 13.3 yards returning 12 punts, for a total of 1909 combined yards, second-best in the league. He was a second-team All-AFL selection by the NEA and was named to the AFL All-Star Game. Garrett missed time during training camp due to military service and then suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1970, rushing for only 272 yards and accumulating an all-purpose total of 1167.​

Carl Garrett runs for daylight behind Len St Jean's block against the Jets, circa 1970-72​

Carl Garrett has some noteworthy Patriot trivia attached to his name. He is the player that the Patriots sent to Dallas in the bizarre 1971 Duane Thomas trade that was later rescinded after Thomas refused to take a three point stance for Pats head coach John Mazur.

It should be noted that it was Carl Garrett who was the intended receiver on what should have been a turnover on downs in the Ben Dreith Game.

Garrett was later traded to the Bears, spent some time with the Jets, and eventually became a kick returner and backup RB in Oakland. Carl Garrett was blanketed in the end zone when Ken Stabler threw a desperation fourth down pass in his direction on December 18, 1976. That was the play that will live in infamy as one of the worst calls by an official in the history of the NFL.

When it comes to numbers, who wore it best for the Patriots?

30 – Carl Garrett – Solid running back from the 1960s wins out over fan-favorite Mosi Tatupu.​

Hat tip to Pape for this image memorializing Garrett:

Carl Garrett Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Carl Garrett. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Carl Garrett (1947-2020) - Find a Grave Memorial

Professional Football Player. He was selected in the third round of the 1969 draft by the Boston Patriots now known as the New England Patriots. He was named the American Football League's Rookie of the Year after rushing for 691 yards and scoring five touchdowns. The highlight of his career...

www.findagrave.com

Professional Football Player. He was selected in the third round of the 1969 draft by the Boston Patriots now known as the New England Patriots. He was named the American Football League's Rookie of the Year after rushing for 691 yards and scoring five touchdowns. The highlight of his career came in 1977 when he helped lead the Oakland Raiders to a 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. Garrett rushed for 19 yards and caught a pass for 11 yards. During his career, he also played for the Chicago Bears and New York Jets. Upon retirement, he had rushed for 4197 yards and 28 touchdowns in addition to catching 182 passes for 1931 yards and seven touchdowns.​

Paywall, apologies:

Denton native, former NFL running back Carl Garrett dies

Carl Garrett, a Denton native who went on to play nine seasons in the NFL, died on Monday at the age of 72.

dentonrc.com

Not sure what to make of this, something I was unaware of prior to now while searching for an obituary.

June 22, 1985:

Ex-Raider Carl Garrett Sentenced to Prison

A jury has sentenced Carl Garrett, who played on the Oakland Raiders' 1977 Super Bowl team, to nine years in prison for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl--despite testimony in his support from the girl's family.

www.latimes.com

A jury has sentenced Carl Garrett, who played on the Oakland Raiders’ 1977 Super Bowl team, to nine years in prison for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl--despite testimony in his support from the girl’s family.​

SPORTS PEOPLE; Prison Term for Garrett - New York Times

Carl Garrett, the former running back, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Denton, Tex., and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Following the verdict by an all-white jury, Garrett, who is black, insisted that he was innocent and suggested that he was a victim of racism.​

Black people, he said, are ''put in jail all the time for things they didn't do.'' The conviction came despite testimony by some members of the girl's family that tended to support Garrett, a close family friend who had been a visitor at the girl's house. The prosecutor, Lee Gabriel, accused the family of trying to protect Garrett at the expense of the victim, who testified that Garrett had come into her bedroom and tried to have sex with her. ''I didn't touch that child,'' Garrett said. ''I know I didn't do it. What else can I say?'' Garrett, who was the American Football League's rookie of the year with the New England Patriots in 1969, later played with the Chicago Bears, the Jets and the Oakland Raiders.​

 

[TheRainMaker]

I was never a fan of Bentley, but the fact there hasn't been a peep about him signing with another team is odd. He's not that bad and has had 3 straight season with at least 100 tackles.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
The 1971 Draft​

In memory of Josh Ashton, who would have turned 76 today
Born August 24, 1949 in Eagle Lake, Texas
Died October 4, 1993 in Harris County, Texas at the age of 44
Patriot running back, 1972-1974; uniform #31
Pats 9th round (209th overall) selection of the 1971 draft, from Tulsa
Pats résumé: three seasons, 38 games (20 starts); four touchdowns

1971 was a year of transition for the Patriots. The short-lived Joe Kapp era was over after a terrible season that resulted in the Pats having the first overall pick of the draft. This was following the first season of a fully merged National Football League. Although the common draft had been in place since 1967, 1970 was the first year when Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland moved from the NFL to the AFC.


The Pats drafted Jim Plunkett first overall, and Julius Adams at the top of the second round; both were great picks. However the rest of that draft yielded virtually nothing* from that rookie class, with the exception of Josh Ashton being chosen 209th overall.

Ashton actually initially signed with the British Columbia Lions rather than the Pats, playing in the CFL in 1971. He then joined the Pats the following season. Considering the Patriots were a two-win team in 1970 under Clive Rush and John Mazur, I can understand the logic.


At the end of training camp in 1970 the Pats had traded away their 1971 3rd and 7th round draft picks for aging DE Ike Lassiter. Their 4th round pick had also been traded away the previous year, for Charlie Gogolak, who was never as good as his brother Pete. The kicker spent almost as much time sidelined with injuries as he did on the field in two years with the Patriots, while connecting on only 20 of 36 field goal attempts. To rub salt into the wound, Denver used that pick on Lyle Alzado, who went on to play in 207 games as one of the era's premier defensive ends.

Nine of the 13 players the Pats drafted in 1971 never played in the NFL, and one played in only four games. Ashton is the only selection not named Jim Plunkett or Julius Adams that is worth mentioning.

Josh Ashton was named the Pats rookie of the year when he led the team in rushing yardage, and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Ashton played in 38 games with 20 starts in three seasons with the Patriotss, scoring four touchdowns.

October 4, 1993:
Obituaries - The Eagle Lake Headlight

Josh Aston Jr.​

August 24, 1949 - October 4, 1993​

Josh Ashton Jr., 44, of Houston, died Monday, October 4, 1993.​

He was the eldest son of Josh and Evelyn Ashton, born August 24, 1949. He completed school in Eagle Lake and attended Blinn College on an athletic scholarship.​

He then went to the University of Tulsa, Ok., where he had an exciting career in football. Ashton was drafted into the Canadian Football League where he played for the British Columbia Lions. He later played in the NFL for the New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and St. Louis Cardinals.​

In 1970 he met Wainna Johnson of Tulsa, Ok. They were married December 27, 1971, and had three children.​

Ashton served in the U.S. Army in the Army National Guards, and was honorably discharged.​

He is survived by his wife; three children, Darryn Ashton of Tulsa, Ok., Bonita and John Ashton IV of Houston; his mother, Evelyn Ashton of Eagle Lake; brother, Frank Ashton of Eagle Lake; two grandchidren; and a number of other relatives and loved ones.​

1974 Patriots Media Guide

Josh Ashton Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Josh Ashton Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Josh Ashton

Josh Ashton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

* There was one other player from the 1971 draft class that got on the field for the Patriots: Florida A&M wide receiver Al Sykes.
The 6'3, 160 lb former Rattler played in four games with one start, with one reception for 15 yards.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Wrong Gator LB from the 2010 Draft​

Happy 37th birthday to Jermaine Cunningham
Born August 24, 1988 in the Bronx; hometown Stone Mountain, Georgia
Patriot outside linebacker/defensive end, 2010-2012; uniform #96
Pats 2nd round (53rd overall) selection of the 2010 draft, from Florida
Pats résumé: three seasons, 36 games (14 starts); three playoff games

The former Gator had a decent rookie season, taking over for Tully Banta-Cain and starting eleven games. Things went dramatically south the following year when he was a healthy scratch seven times, never working his way into the defensive rotation - this on a unit that finished the season ranked 31st in team defense. Then towards the end of 2012 Cunningham was suspended for four games for performance enhancing drugs.

Jermaine Cunningham was cut at the end of the 2013 training camp, ending an inglorious three year stint with the Patriots. During that time he played in 36 games with 14 starts, totaling 59 tackles (43 solo), ten quarterback hits, eight tackles for a loss and just 3½ sacks.

In a typical Rex Ryan stunt, the Jets signed Cunningham. Predictably he did even less there - appearing in two games over two seasons, with zero stats.



I will begrudgingly give Albert Breer a ton of credit for this April 23, 2010 column. Carlos Dunlap went on to have 100 sacks over his 13-season, 197-game NFL career.

Patriots grab a Gator

Cunningham's the team's pick at 53.

www.boston.com

I advocated taking a rush linebacker-type from Florida, but it wasn’t this one.​

The Patriots just selected Jermaine Cunningham with the 53rd overall pick. The Bengals, at 54, took the freakish Carlos Dunlap, who was the guy I stumped for.​

Of course, this has Urban Meyer written all over it. Bill Belichick’s got a close relationship with the Florida coach, so it’s possible that Meyer advised him to take Cunningham over Dunlap.​

Cunningham’s sack production was decent at Florida, with 19.5 in his final three years as a Gator. He came in a little over 6-foot-3 and 266 pounds at the combine, and is said to have good athletic ability and instincts, but has some problems bending, coming off blocks and playing in space.​

Couldn’t make this up: Was arrested in December for assault after he was told at a restaurant that he had to pay for a bag chips. Apparently, he started hitting an employee with empty cups. Seriously.​

We’ll figure more out about that on the conference call. This, of course, is the first stab the Patriots have taken at addressing the pass rush.​

June 22, 2011 forum thread:

Did BB make a mistake bypassing Dunlap for Cunningham last year...

Carlos Dunlap was the Bengals pick right behind the Pats selecting Jermaine Cunningham in round 2 of the 2010 draft. Dunlap had a terrific year masked by being on a terrible team. Dunlap was second among all rookies in QB sacks last year, narrowly second to Suh. An article on the Bengals website...

www.patsfans.com

Jan 6, 2015:

Jets linebacker Jermaine Cunningham arrested, charged with spreading sexual images, gun offenses

Cunningham, who missed the season with a torn Achilles tendon, is charged with disclosing sexual images of another, destroying clothes and illegally transporting a .380 handgun in the glove compartment of his Audi.

www.nj.com

Former Patriots Bust Jermaine Cunningham Arrested on Sex and Gun Charges

The former second round draft choice is now a member of the Jets organization, but missed the entire 2014 season with an achilles injury.

www.boston.com

Former Patriots draft bust and current New York Jets linebacker Jermaine Cunningham was arrested December 29th on “charges of spreading sexual images and illegally transporting a gun in his Audi.’’​

NJ.com reports police found a handgun in Cunningham’s glove compartment, and he’s also accused of violating a state law prohibiting the disclosure of sexual images of a person without the person’s consent.​

Cunningham was the Patriots “other’’ second round draft pick in 2010, selected 53rd overall and just 11 picks after Rob Gronkowski. Cunningham registered just 3.5 sacks in three seasons in New England before moving on to the Jets in 2013. He missed all of last season with an Achilles injury.​

It’s another off-field incident involving one of Urban Meyer’s former Florida players. But as the Aaron Hernandez jury selection process gets underway and Cunningham faces his own on and off-field issues, Meyer is preparing for a national championship game at Ohio State.​

Jermaine Cunningham Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Jermaine Cunningham Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Jermaine Cunningham

Jermaine Cunningham - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Cunningham, along with U.S. Olympic track hopeful Xavier Carter and former Gator Jonathan Demps, was arrested in 2007 after an altercation with a Jimmy John's employee. The group became "verbally abusive, struck the employee with empty soda cans and a sandwich, and fled the store" after the clerk asked them to pay for a bag of chips. In late December 2014, Cunningham was charged with multiple counts in Union County, New Jersey.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
August 24 News​

August 24, 2006:

Patriots release receiver Erik Davis

The Patriots released rookie wide receiver Erik Davis on Thursday.

www.espn.com

The 22-year-old WR Erik Davis was signed in May as an undrafted free agent. He caught one pass for 15 yards in New England's two​

preseason games. Davis attended Vanderbilt where he caught 124 passes for 1,767 yards and 14 touchdowns, ranking seventh in school history in both categories.​

Belichick bits

Belichick comments on move with Gramatica; the Patriots release WR Erik Davis.

www.boston.com

* When asked if inside linebacker Monty Beisel was on the roster bubble, Belichick responded that he didn’t know about any bubble.​

WR Erik Davis released

Per BB at the beginning of his press conference this morning. "We made 2 roster moves yesterday. Released Erik Davis and Martin Gramatica." Somebody (maybe Reiss) also asked how far they're under the limit. BB: "I'm not exactly sure, 6 or 7 maybe. I really don't know." They're actually 5...

www.patsfans.com

Great line at the end of it.

"Is Monty Beisel on the bubble?"

BB: "What's a bubble?"

"Is he not ensured a spot on the team?"

BB: "Who is?"

BB: "I don't know about any bubble. Have a good day."




August 24, 2011:

Patriots re-sign OL Berry

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Patriots re-signed rookie free agent offensive lineman Mike Berry Wednesday, bringing their roster back to the 90-man maximum.

www.espn.com

The Patriots re-signed rookie free agent offensive lineman Mike Berry Wednesday, bringing their roster back to the 90-man maximum. Berry, a 6-foot-3, 316-pound guard out of Auburn, signed with New England on July 27 and was released on Aug. 3. Berry's first stint with the Patriots was spent on the active/non-football injury list, but he was on the practice field wearing No. 66 on Wednesday.​

August 24, 2015:
The Pats placed WR Brandon Gibson on IR, who suffered a knee injury in the preseason game at New Orleans two days prior, and re-signed rookie LB D.J. Lynch.

https://www.patriotledger.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/08/24/patriots-place-gibson-on-injured/33640317007/

Gibson, 28, is a veteran of six NFL seasons with Philadelphia (2009), St. Louis (2009-12) and Miami (2013-14). The 6-foot, 210-pounder, was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on March 11, 2015. He originally entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick (194th overall) by Philadelphia in 2009 out of Washington State. He has played in 76 NFL games with 46 starts and has registered 233 receptions for 2,711 yards and 13 touchdowns. Last season, Gibson played in 14 games with five starts for Miami and caught 29 passes for 295 yards and one touchdown. He was released by Miami on Feb. 27, 2015.​

Lynch, 22, was signed by the Patriots as a rookie free agent out of Bowling Green on June 11, 2015 and released on Aug. 1, 2015. The 6-foot, 252-pounder, played in 48 games with 26 starts at Bowling Green and finished with 230 total tackles. He had his best season as a junior in 2013 when he started all 14 games and was named All-MAC after finishing with a team-high of 83 total tackles.​

August 25, 2015:

Roger Goodell and the NFL's Arrogance of Power

They’re in a box, and they’re the (expletive) league. They’re not going to back down. That kind of arrogance — where they’ll say, ‘We lost, but we didn’t lose’ — that’s the arrogance of power. They lose in court over and over and over, but to them, no, they never lose, and they’re not going to...

www.patsfans.com

August 24, 2016:
The Patriots release veteran WR Nate Washington, who had 458 receptions for 6,954 yards and 45 touchdowns in his NFL career.

After initially being reported as cut, it was announced that center Bryan Stork, a 2014 fourth round pick, had been traded to Washington. Stork, who had began 2015 on IR die to a concussion and neck injury, failed his physical with Washington and the trade was voided. The Pats released Stork August 29, and he retired in 2017, due to suffering multiple concussions during his two seasons in the NFL.

Patriots trade Bryan Stork to Redskins

The Bryan Stork era is over in Foxboro.The Patriots have traded the third-year center today to the Redskins, a source said.The move means David Andrews, the second-year undrafted player who is Tom Brady’s preferred choice at center,…

www.bostonherald.com

New England Patriots veteran cuts: WR Nate Washington released, per report

Former Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans WR Nate Washington was released by the New England Patriots.

www.masslive.com

Nate Washington got off to a slow start in training camp and never recovered.​

Washington vomited on the first day of camp and sat out for several days afterward. When he returned, he was consistently behind Aaron Dobson, Chris Harper and DeAndre Carter, all of whom are roster bubble players. His best season came in 2011 with the Titans, when he caught 74 balls for 1,023 yards and seven scores.​

The Patriots' wide receiver depth chart is mostly settled, with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan and rookie Malcolm Mitchell projected as roster locks. That leaves Dobson, Harper, Carter and rookie Devin Lucien battling Keshawn Martin for the fifth spot.​

August 24, 2020:

Patriots bring back Nick Folk, sign Michael Barnett

The Patriots re-signed kicker Nick Folk and signed undrafted rookie defensive lineman Michael Barnett, the team announced Monday morning. Folk was among the revolving door of kickers to come through New England last season in an effort to replace veteran Stephen Gostkowski, who was placed on...

www.boston.com

The Patriots re-signed kicker Nick Folk and signed undrafted rookie defensive lineman Michael Barnett, the team announced Monday morning.​

Folk was among the revolving door of kickers to come through New England last season in an effort to replace veteran Stephen Gostkowski, who was placed on injured reserve and later released. Folk had the longest tenure of the bunch, playing in seven regular-season games. He made 14 of his 17 field goal attempts, along with all 12 of his extra-point attempts.​

After the season, Folk remained unsigned as a free agent. He now joins fifth-round draft pick Justin Rohrwasser as the two kickers on New England’s roster. Rohrwasser has barely kicked in practices attended by reporters. Rohrwasser was 3-of-5 on field goals at the end of a practice Monday but has mostly rode the exercise bike since, which could be an indication he is managing an undisclosed injury.​

The Patriots, who had two open roster spots entering Monday, also signed defensive lineman Michael Barnett, a rookie free agent out who played four seasons at Georgia. Last year he started six games, posting a career-high 23 tackles. Over the course of his college career, he recorded 47 tackles.​

August 24, 2021:
Patriots make several moves to get down to the 80-man roster limit ahead of the preseason finale.

WR Devin Ross was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on June 21. This was his second stint with New England; he was signed by the Pats to their practice squad on October 15, 2019.

S Malik Gant was signed by the Pats on August 10. He missed all of the 2020 season as a result of an injury he suffered in the preseason finale against the Giants.

LS Brian Khoury was signed on August 9 in an effort to add depth after Joe Cardona suffered an injury.

In addition to Gant, Khoury, Ross and OL RJ Prince, by the end of the day the Pats would also release LB Cassh Maluia, a 6th round 2020 draft pick. maluia played in nine games in 2020, logging 76 special teams snaps and ten defensive snaps. Marcus Martin would be waived off IR on September 2 with an injury settlement.

Patriots claim Texans TE Kahale Warring off waivers, release LB Cassh Maluia

Before two injury-riddled seasons, Warring entered the league as a third-round pick out of San Diego State in 2019.

www.bostonherald.com

The Patriots claimed former Texans tight end Kahale Warring off waivers and released linebacker Cassh Maluia to meet the NFL’s 80-man roster deadline Tuesday.​

Offensive lineman Marcus Martin was also placed on injured reserve.​

Warring, a 2019 third-round pick from San Diego State, was released after two injury-riddled seasons in Houston. He lost his rookie year to a concussion, then was again limited by injury in 2020, catching three passes for 35 yards on seven targets. Warring entered the league as a raw talent, who started playing football as a senior in high school.​

The 6-foot-5, 251-pounder ran a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and showed above average athleticism with his vertical and broad jumps at the combine. That physical talent never translated in Houston, where former Pats executive Nick Caserio, now the Texans general manager, released him this week. Warring was limited to four snaps in the team’s last preseason game against Dallas.​

He joins Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, 2020 third-round pick Devin Asiasi and Matt LaCosse in the Patriots’ tight ends room.​

That's a lot of tight ends for one roster. Warring only lasted three days before he was let go. LaCosse was released on August 31 and began the season on the practice squad. Asiasi was invisible in 2021, with the third round draft bust getting on the field for a total of 12 snaps that year.




Aug 24, 2024:

Patriots Daily News Thread - Saturday Patriots News Thread 8/24

Had some things going on this morning so a little bit of a late start:

www.patsfans.com

Aug 24, 2025:
Guard Layden Robinson is waived with an injury designation.

As Mike Reiss notes below, the move had much to do with how the 4th round pick from Texas A&M was not a good fit in the new defensive scheme.

Patriots waive Layden Robinson as their 2024 draft class takes another hit

Robinson is out a year after the Patriots used their fourth-round pick on him.

www.nbcsports.com

The Patriots’ 2024 draft class has taken another hit.​

Guard Layden Robinson, whom the Patriots selected with their fourth-round pick last year, was waived-injured. That means once he passes through waivers, he’ll revert to the Patriots’ injured reserve list. He may later leave the team with an injury settlement, but he won’t play for the Patriots in 2025.​

Robinson’s departure is another reminder that the Patriots’ 2024 draft class was, with the possible exception of quarterback Drake Maye, a bust. In fact, Maye might be the only Patriots 2024 draft pick to make their 2025 53-man roster.​

Second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk is expected to go on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Third-round pick Caedan Wallace and fourth-round pick Javon Baker are on the roster bubble and may not survive Tuesday’s cuts. Sixth-round pick Marcellas Dial Jr. is on injured reserve with a torn ACL, and the other sixth-round pick, Joe Milton III, was traded to the Cowboys. Seventh-round pick Jaheim Bell was waived last week.​

Unless Maye becomes a star quarterback, the 2024 draft class will go down as a major miss for the Patriots, who need to rebuild the roster and do it by drafting a lot better.​

Linebacker Luke Masterson visits, and passes his physical.

Masterson played in 37 of 38 possible games with Las Vegas from 2022 through week four of 2024 before going on IR with a knee injury. He had 59 tackles as a rookie, but his playing time decreased in 2023. Altogether he averaged 17 defensive snaps and 20 special team snaps per game for the Raiders. Ironically, when he went on IR Masterson was replaced on the Vegas roster by current Patriot edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
The Kitchen Sink​

Happy 37th birthday to Ishmaa'ily 'Ish' Kitchen
Born August 24, 1988 in Youngstown, Ohio
Patriot nose tackle, 2015; uniform #70
Signed as a free agent on December 16, 2015
Pats résumé: one game

Ishmaa'ily Yuwsha Kitchen was originally signed by Baltimore as an undrafted rookie out of Kent State in 2012, and appeared in 40 games with the Browns from 2012-2014. The Patriots signed the 6-1, 334lb nose tackle after their week 14 victory at Houston when Dominique Easley was placed on injured reserve. Kitchen was a healthy scratch for the next game versus Tennessee, then released to make room for RB Steven Jackson. In the following game the Patriot defense surrendered 143 rushing yards and 428 total yards in an overtime loss to the Jets, and Kitchen was re-signed. He appeared in the week 17 loss at Miami, then was again a healthy scratch in both playoff games. Defensive linemen Kitchen, Easley and Chris Jones were all released by New England two weeks prior to the 2016 draft.

Patriots Sign Defensive Tackle Ishmaa'ily Kitchen To 53-Man Roster - NESN.com

FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots boosted their defensive tackle depth one day after placing Dominique Easley on injured reserve. The Patriots signed veteran defensive tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen to their 53-man roster. Kitchen spent three seasons with the Cleveland Browns before being...

nesn.com

New England Patriots release defensive tackles Chris Jones, Ishmaa'ily Kitchen

The New England Patriots released defensive tackle Chris Jones Friday.

www.masslive.com

Two days after releasing former first-round pick Dominique Easley, the New England Patriots have parted ways with two other defensive tackles.​

Chris Jones and Ishmaa'ily Kitchen, both projected to be on the roster bubble, were cut Friday.​

Kitchen, a wide body in the middle, was brought on late last year for depth.​

Currently, the Patriots have Malcom Brown, Terrrance Knighton, Alan Branch, Markus Kuhn, Frank Kearse and Joe Vellano at defensive tackle. The team may look to add an interior defensive lineman in the draft. The position ranks among the Pats' top draft needs.​

Ishmaa'ily Kitchen Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Ishmaa'ily Kitchen Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Ishmaa'ily Yuwshua Hadaar Kitchen

Ishmaa'ily Kitchen - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
More August 24 Birthdays​

Happy 27th birthday to Kawaan Baker
Born Aug 24, 1998 in East Point, Georgia
Patriot wide receiver, 2024 offseason; uniform #86
Signed to a reserve/futures contract on Feb 6, 2024
Pats résumé: one offseason and training camp


Feb 6, 2024:

Patriots Sign Developmental Wide Receiver To Futures Contract

The Patriots are adding another new name to the fold for next season, and this time it's actually a player.

nesn.com

Baker entered the league as a seventh-round pick out of South Alabama in 2021, spending time with the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles in the last three seasons.​

He made two game-day appearances for the Saints during his rookie campaign as a practice squad elevation, playing exclusively on special teams.​

Patriots sign WR to future contract

Jerod Mayo’s offense has added another depth wide receiver.

www.masslive.com

The Patriots signed 25-year-old Kawaan Baker to a futures contract on Tuesday afternoon. A seventh-round pick out of South Alabama in 2021, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has bounced around a bit since coming into the league.​

Baker was drafted by the Saints and spent his rookie season on their practice squad. Before his second year, Baker tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and was suspended for six games. The Saints cut him after the suspension ran its course, and then Baker spent time on the Packers and Eagles practice squads before returning to New Orleans last offseason. One of the Saints’ final cuts last summer, the wideout hadn’t been on a roster since August.​

Given New England’s woeful production in 2023, there’s certain to be some turnover in the wide receiver room this spring. The Patriots have JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pop Douglas, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, T.J. Luther and Kayshon Boutte under contract for the 2024 season, while Kendrick Bourne is slated to hit free agency next month.​

New England Patriots

Follow all the latest on the New England Patriots — game results, player updates, trade coverage, stats and expert insights from Patriots Football Now.

patriotsfootballnow.com

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound receiver totaled 126 receptions, 1,829 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns in his college career. His teammates at South Alabama included punter Corliss Waitman, who spent time on the Patriots practice squad in 2023.​

New Orleans cut Kawaan Baker at the end of his first training camp, but he was signed back to the practice squad. He appeared in two games as a rookie in 2021. He played exclusively on special teams, recording a tackle. He was signed to a future contract for the 2022 season.​

Kawaan Baker joins DeMario Douglas, DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, and T.J. Luther as wide receivers under contract with the New England Patriots for the 2024 season.​

The Patriots released Baker on August 26, 2024 as part of their roster cutdown. In March of 2025 he signed with the UFL's San Antonio Brahmas in March of 2025. Earlier this month Baker was with the Raiders for eight days, and had a second stint with the Packers from August 12 to 25. His NFL stat line consists of two games played with the Saints in 2021, with zero snaps on offense, 27 special teams snaps and one tackle.

Kawaan Baker Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Kawaan Baker Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Kawaan LaAndre Baker

Kawaan Baker - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Happy 28th birthday to John Parker Romo
Born Aug 24, 1997 in Peachtree City, Georgia
Patriot kicker, 2024 practice squad, 2025-; uniform #11 (2024), #37 (2025)
Signed to the practice squad on Dec 10, 2024
Pats résumé: a few weeks on the practice squad, plus one full offseason and training camp

Romo began his pro football career in 2022 as an undrafted rookie out of Viginia Tech with the Saints. He signed with the XFL's San Antonio Brahmas, made the 2023 All-XFL team, and held what was then an XFL record with a 57-yard field goal. He then spent the 2023 offseason with Detroit, and after cuts signed on to Chicago's practice squad. Romo played in four games for the Vikings as a temporary injury replacement, converting 11-of-12 field goal attempts an 7-for-8 PATs. In his debut Romo provided all of Minnesota's scoring with four field goals in a 12-7 win over Jacksonville.

Looks as though Romo will be the Pats kicker in 2025 after outperforming Andres Borregales, the sixth round draft pick from the University of Miami who was the first kicker selected in the 2025 NFL draft.

John Parker Romo Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get John Parker Romo Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- John Parker Romo

John Parker Romo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Happy 23rd birthday to Elijah Ponder
Born Aug 24, 2002 in Pomona, California; hometown La Puente CA
Patriot edge rusher, 2025 offseason; uniform #91
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent from Cal Poly on May 9, 2025
Pats résumé: one full offseason and training camp

It appears that Elijah Ponder will make the initial 2025 week roster, though that remains to be officially determined.

Aug 20, 2025:

Patriots coach calls rookie ‘one of the best’ UDFA signings he’s ever seen

An undrafted rookie, not named Efton Chism, drew extremely high praise from his Patriots position coach.

www.masslive.com

Efton Chism III has garnered the most headlines when it comes to the Patriots’ undrafted free agent class. However, he’s not the only one garnering rave reviews.​

Outside linebacker Elijah Ponder has also had a strong summer. The rookie looked the part of a core special teamer at the beginning of camp. This week, he also took reps with the starting defense after a strong showing in Minnesota.​

On Tuesday, Patriots outside linebackers coach Mike Smith gushed about Ponder’s smarts and skillset. While speaking about the Cal Poly product, Smith admitted to getting goosebumps.​

A 6-foot-3, 261-pound edge rusher, Ponder led the Big Sky Conference in sacks with 10 last season. He also finished with 52 total tackles, 13 for loss, and tied a Cal Poly record with 17 quarterback hurries. That performance earned him FCS All-American third-team honors.​

Smith was encouraged by Ponder’s performance against the Vikings last weekend. He noted that Minnesota was using an extra player to chip Ponder before each pass rusher, but that didn’t stop the rookie from getting in the backfield or to the quarterback.​

Elijah Ponder - 2024 - Football - Cal Poly

Elijah Ponder (14) DL - 2023 -- Played in all 11 games and was second on the team with 52 total tackles, 33 were solo and 19 assisted... led the team and Big...

gopoly.com

Elijah Ponder -- Patriots.com

Elijah Ponder Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Elijah Ponder. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Elijah Ponder - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Two August 24 birthdays with a New England connection:

- Gary Wisener (1938-2020)
1960 Boston Patriots draft pick
A defensive back from Baylor, Wisener chose to stay in-state, playing for the Dallas Cowboys in 1960 and Houston Oilers in 1961.

- Gill Fenerty, 63 (1963)
Holy Cross
A 7th round pick by New Orleans in '86, the KR/RB had his best season in 1991 when he started 12 games for the Saints, scoring five touchdowns.




Other NFL notables born on this date include:

- Arian Foster, 39 (1986)
Houston Texan RB scored 47 touchdowns in a 3-year span from 2010-12. He was an All Pro in 2010 and four-time Pro Bowler, but overuse - 393 touches in 2010, 331 in 2011 and 391 in 2012 - left him with no tread on the tires after just a few years in the league.


- Gary Dunn, 72 (1953)
Nose tackle played in 146 games for the Steelers from 1976 to 1987, winning two Super Bowls.

Gary Dunn - University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame

Biography page for University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame member, Gary Dunn

www.umsportshalloffame.com

- Allen Robinson, 32 (1993)
Wide receiver from Penn State led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 2015, and has 565 receptions for 7,058 yards and 43 TD over the course of his NFL career.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2025/03/02/detroit-lions-wr-allen-robinson-pondering-retirement-or-free-agency/80879758007/

- John Banaszak, 75 (1950)
Won three super bowl rings as a defensive end for the Steelers from 1975 to 1981, and was named Defensive Player of the Game in Super Bowl 13.

John Banaszak (1985) - E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame - Eastern Michigan University Athletics

Eastern Michigan University Athletics

emueagles.com

- Cloyce Box (1923-1993)
Cloyce Box never even saw a football game until he was 18, focusing on basketball in high school. he and his brother Boyce attended West Texas A&M University on basketball scholarships and helped the Buffaloes win a Border Conference championship in 1943. He was then inducted into the Marine Corps and attained the rank of captain during World War II. When he returned from the war in 1946 the school's basketball program was in shambles, and Box ended up playing football as a quarterback and halfback from 1946 to 1948.

Box played for the Detroit Lions, where as a rookie he stated that he was 'probably was the worst halfback in the history of the league'. The Lions wanted to take advantage of his speed, and converted him to an end. With Bobby Layne as his quarterback, Box ranked in the top three in catches, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and yards from scrimmage, averaging 20.9 yards per catch. In one game against the Colts he had 12 catches, four touchdowns, and 302 yards receiving - a mark that to this day still ranks as 5th most in NFL history.

The following year he was recalled to service, to fight in the Korean War. When he returned in 1952 he led the NFL with 15 touchdown receptions - in a 12-game season, prior to current rules that aid the passing game - was named to his second Pro Bowl, and won his first of two straight NFL championships.

If not for the three years lost to two wars, Box would have surely been a Hall of Famer. In his post-NFL life he had a very successful business career as president and CEO of Box Cement Company, producing over two million tons of cement per year. Those Detroit Lions teams were the last to not receive championship rings, so in 1982 Box hosted a reunion and presented rings to every player, that he paid for personally. That same year he also established a trust fund for the purpose of helping former NFL players experiencing financial difficulty by contributing $1 million of his own money (about the equivalent of 3-4 times that much in today's dollars).

 

[Pape]

Today in Patriots History
18th LB from the 2018 NFL Draft​

Happy 29th birthday to Ja'Whaun Bentley

Underrated player...

He got better each year he was here,and earned his playing time... can't ask for more than that...

was sorry to see him go