New England Patriots add William Likely and waive Corey Vereen
The New England Patriots tweaked the back end of their roster. Who will no longer be on the team?
The New England Patriots have signed former Maryland defensive back, William Likely, per the team website. The team also waived/injured undrafted rookie defensive end, Corey Vereen.
Likely played 43 games for Maryland over four seasons, compiling 229 tackles, 16.5 for loss, and two sacks. He had twelve turnovers including seven interceptions for two touchdowns and five forced fumbles.
On special teams, Likely returned 87 kicks for 2,233 yards and two touchdowns, along with 67 punts for 875 yards and four touchdowns. According to NFL.com, at the combine, he measured in at 5-foot-7 and 180 pounds, with 29″ arms and 9 1/2″ hands. Likely will be the seventh undrafted cornerback on New England’s roster joining fellow rookies Dwayne Thomas, Kenny Moore, and D.J. Killings.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) wrote the following in his draft profile of Likely:
"“It is impossible to ignore Likely’s diminutive stature and it’s impossible to ignore the fact that he’s having to come back from an ACL tear. It’s equally impossible to ignore his elite quickness and hyper-competitive nature. His lack of size will put a ceiling on his draft stock, but Likely is talented enough to become a slot corner in the NFL. His ability to take over return duties should add value for a player who can make a team better regardless of what the tape measure says.” – Lance Zierlein"
Vereen signed with the Patriots after going undrafted last April. In four years with the Volunteers, he collected 111 tackles, 26 for a loss, and thirteen sacks. In addition, he had five passes defended and three fumble recoveries. Unless claimed on waivers, Vereen will return to the Patriots on injured reserve.
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The Patriots also signed 2017 third-round pick, offensive tackle Antonio Garcia, per SportsTrust Advisors. With the summer getting closer, the Patriots will continue to make roster moves prior to the start of the season.