Patriots' injuries push them toward a low-risk practice squad addition

The New England Patriots are adding wide receiver Brandon Smith to their practice squad, as announced on Tuesday afternoon. This move comes as the team is dealing with injuries to a pair of pass catchers, with Kayshon Boutte currently in concussion protocol and DeMario Douglas having hurt is hamstring during last week's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

Smith spent his collegiate football career at Iowa, where he recorded 91 receptions for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns through 39 games. After going undrafted in 2021, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys and went on to spend the next two seasons on the team's practice squad.

During his pair of preseasons spent in Dallas, Smith totaled a combined 13 catches for 185 yards and two scores.

Over the following two years, Smith played in three different professional football leagues. He played in the 2023 XFL season with the DC Defenders, catching 10 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown while also returning 10 kickoffs for 218 yards in eight games.

After his XFL campaign concluded, Smith signed with the Arizona Cardinals, appearing in two preseason games, but was released before the regular season began. He then returned to the Defenders, now a member of the UFL, in 2024, recording 18 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns across nine games.

Smith returned to the NFL later that year, signing with the New York Jets before the 2024 preseason, during which he had five catches for 120 yards. He spent most of the year on the Jets' practice squad, appearing in just one regular game, before returning to New York for the 2025 season.

Patriots add much-needed help to their receiving corps after injuries ravaged the roster

During this past preseason, Smith hauled in a team-high 10 catches for 113 yards, but failed to make the Jets' initial 53-man roster and again returned to their practice squad.

He was elevated by New York for two games in Weeks 6 and 8, mainly appearing on special teams, before the team released him on Dec. 2nd.

Smith will join a New England practice squad that already includes receivers Jeremiah Webb and John Jiles, as the team looks to add depth to the position.

Before landing on bringing Smith aboard, the Patriots also reportedly worked out wideouts Brandon Johnson, whose best NFL season came in 2023 with the Denver Broncos when he posted 19 receptions for 284 yards and four touchdowns, and Kristian Wilkerson, who New England fans will remember from his two year stint with the franchise where he recorded four catches for 42 yards and a pair of scores.

Both Johnson and Wilkerson have significantly more NFL experience than Smith, so the Patriots must have seen something they liked in the latter's tryout to pick him up over a pair of players who have seen meaningful playing time in regular-season contests.

Smith's signing will serve as an insurance move for New England as the organization waits for more updates on the recoveries of Boutte and Douglas.