Tag: Micah Vanterpool

Did multiple practice absences reveal Patriots’ next round of cuts?

Patriots might have indirectly revealed recent round of roster cuts.

The New England Patriots returned to the practice field on Sunday with several notable absences.

With the 53-man deadline slated for Tuesday, the team has been hard at work whittling down their roster. Cornerback Quandre Mosely, defensive lineman Carl Davis and linebacker Carson Wells have all reportedly been cut by the team.

Here’s the full list of players that were missing at practice, per NESN’s Zack Cox:

TE Johnny Lumpkin

S Brad Hawkins

TE Scotty Washington

OL Micah Vanterpool

CB Rodney Randle

DL Justus Tavai

RB C.J. Marable

LB Diego Fagot

All of the above players were considered potential roster cuts in training camp. So none of the names on this list would come as any surprise if they don’t make the team.

The Patriots have until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday to get their roster down to 53 players. That means coach Bill Belichick still has more work to do before turning the page to the regular season.

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Patriots cut two players to make room for latest roster signings

Two releases have been announced by the Patriots, following their recent signings.

With the recent signings of running back C.J. Marable and offensive tackle Micah Vanterpool, the New England Patriots had to make corresponding moves to free up space on their 90-man roster.

On Saturday, the team announced they have released linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi and safety Jourdan Heilig.

Running back and offensive tackle are both serious positions of need for the Patriots right now. Veteran running back Ty Montgomery is still working his way back from an injury, and the Patriots are limiting Rhamondre Stevenson’s workload in anticipation of the regular season.

So the heavy lifting has been left to second-year running backs Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris.

Meanwhile, the offensive tackle position has been shaky with a 34-year-old Riley Reiff likely starting on the right side and the oft-injured Trent Brown serving as the blindside protector on the left.

Heilig had some legitimately good moments on special teams throughout the spring and summer work. For now, however, it would seem as if the Patriots are prioritizing a clear need over his roster spot.

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Patriots add depth at offensive tackle with latest signing

The Patriots are adding depth at offensive tackle.

The New England Patriots have signed offensive tackle Micah Vanterpool, following a difficult preseason opener for their offensive line unit.

The team announced the signing on Saturday.

Vanterpool will bring youth to the offensive tackle position for the Patriots at training camp. The two projected starters, Riley Reiff and Trent Brown, are 30-plus years old.

Vanterpool is an undrafted rookie out of Hawaii that played for the New Jersey Generals in the USFL. When playing at Hawaii, he did not allow a sack or commit a penalty in 13 starts. He measures in at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds.

New England undoubtedly needs depth on the offensive line, as the unit struggled on Thursday. It would be wise for the team to find depth beyond the starters, as injuries mounted at the position last season.

It will be interesting to see if Vanterpool will be able to make an impact for this New England team. At the very least, the organization has another body they can throw into the mix of the ongoing training camp competition.

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