Patriots
The Patriots could use help at offensive line, linebacker, and tight end.
The Patriots trimmed their roster down to 53 players on Tuesday evening.
But that doesn’t mean that Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf, and the rest of New England’s top brass are done when it comes to augmenting their roster and scouring for reinforcements.
With all 32 NFL clubs forced to cut their rosters down to 53 players on Tuesday, there are multiple intriguing options now out on the waiver wire for other teams to scoop up as they look to add depth.
The Patriots are no exception — with a New England club currently fourth on the waiver order behind the Titans, Browns, and Giants in need of some help across several spots on the roster.
Here’s a look at eight players to keep tabs as New England looks to add some talent on Wednesday:
FB Jakob Johnson
The Patriots currently have Jack Westover in place on the 53-man roster as the team’s third tight end / fullback option.
But, considering how much offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels values having a hard-nosed fullback available, could New England opt to bring back an old friend in Johnson?
Johnson, who played in New England from 2019-21, was released by Houston on Tuesday. He’s not flashy, but Johnson is the type of punishing presence who can block and clear up running lanes for the likes of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.
TE Josh Whyle
Vrabel was still in place as the Titans’ head coach when Tennessee selected the 6-foot-7 Whyle in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Given that familiarity with New England’s head coach, Whyle could be a potential target for the Patriots if they’re looking for another big body to replace Westover on the roster.
Whyle appeared in 17 games with the Titans last season, recording 28 catches for 248 yards and one touchdown.
OT Jaelyn Duncan
The Patriots already have some question marks at the tackle position when it comes to starting a rookie in Will Campbell and a 34-year-old veteran in Morgan Moses.
Those questions continue further down on the depth chart, with Vederian Lowe (who struggled as New England’s de-facto starting left tackle in 2024) and a 2025 seventh-round pick Marcus Bryant standing as the next men up.
Fair to say, the Patriots need some contingency plans at the tackle position.
Much like Whyle, the 6-foot-6 Duncan has some ties to Vrabel, as the Titans originally selected the tackle out of Maryland in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He could be in the mix as New England’s swing tackle if the Patriots are able to scoop him up on the waiver wire.
TE Greg Dulcich
The Patriots saw firsthand how effective Dulcich can be as a red-zone target, as the 2022 third-round pick reeling in two touchdowns during New York’s 42-10 preseason victory over New England last week.
Dulcich led the NFL in preseason touchdown catches (three), although he has only recorded five catches and 53 receiving yards over the last two seasons.
CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
Even with both Alex Austin and DJ James impressing this preseason as backup options in the secondary, the Patriots could use some more depth at cornerback, especially with Christian Gonzalez still hindered by a hamstring injury.
Armour-Davis — a former fourth-round pick out of Alabama — could be an intriguing option after getting let go from a talented cornerback grouping in Baltimore.
He has dealt with injuries in the NFL with just 19 games played over his three years with Baltimore, but he submitted a strong preseason with an interception and three pass breakups.
LB Isaiah Simmons
The Patriots could use some added depth at linebacker, as New England could be in some major trouble if its two projected starters in Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss go down with injuries.
Simmons, the former eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, hasn’t been able to live up to the hype he generated as a Swiss Army Knife on Clemson’s defense.
But, as Vrabel and Terrell Williams look to add more mobile players to their defense, a 6-foot-4 linebacker in Simmons who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL combine could be a player worth taking a flier on.
OT Esa Pole
Another intriguing candidate as New England tries to find a swing tackle, Pole is an undrafted offensive lineman out of Washington State who did not allow a pressure during preseason action with the Chiefs.
With KC’s 2025 first-round pick Josh Simmons also impressing during preseason action, Pole was viewed as expendable during roster cuts — making him the type of target that a team like the Patriots should covet.
QB Tommy DeVito
If the Patriots are looking to add another QB to their group behind Drake Maye and Joshua Dobbs, DeVito could be an intriguing option.
DeVito — who threw for eight touchdowns and three interceptions over nine games with the Giants in 2023 — torched New England in a 42-10 preseason win last week. In that outing, DeVito completed 17 of his 20 pass attempts for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
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