The New England Patriots have made a flurry of practice squad additions over the past week, greatly improving the team's depth. At this point in the season, players are worn down, and the practice squad can offer fresh options during the home stretch.
New England released WR Brandon Smith, OT Sebastian Gutierrez, and DT Fabien Lovett from the practice squad this week. None of these moves came as big surprises, as none had seen elevations to the active roster this season.
The team also released RB D'Ernest Johnson from the active roster, later re-signing him to the practice squad. Johnson had been the team's third in the depth chart after injuries to Antonio Gibson and Terrell Jennings, while also operating as the kick returner. He had 14 carries for 25 yards this year and averaged 25.6 yards per kick return.
The Patriots made several important practice squad additions
Aside from the return of Johnson, the Patriots also re-signed CB Miles Battle to the practice squad after releasing him last week. The ex-Utah standout has played in five games for New England this season.
To fill the additional practice squad openings, the team signed OT Lorenz Metz, WR Trent Sherfield, and ED Darrell Taylor.
Metz, 28, entered the league in 2023 with the Bears after spending his college days with the Cincinnati Bearcats. A German international, Metz stands 6-foot-9 and weighs 335 pounds. Metz will be one to watch in the preseason next year.
While Metz is a less established player, both Sherfield and Taylor could prove useful during New England's playoff run. Sherfield, 29, played in 12 games with the Broncos and Cardinals, finishing with 3 catches for 21 yards. His best season came back in 2022 with the Dolphins, totaling 30 catches for 417 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He has 89 catches for 1,034 and 6 touchdowns in his career.
Taylor, however, may be the most interesting player of them all.
The 48th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the former Tennessee Volunteer had a productive first three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He had 21.5 sacks in his first three seasons, including 9.5 in 2022. He was traded to the Bears after the hiring of Mike McDonald, and despite a Week 1 win in which he had two sacks and a forced fumble, he couldn't catch on in Chicago.
He didn't notch another sack in 2024 and signed with the Texans this year, playing four games. Taylor was waived off the Texans' IR list earlier this week, and as reported by Ian Rapoport, there's a strong chance he'll be elevated for Sunday's game against his former team.
With Christian Gonzalez in concussion protocol, don't be surprised if Miles Battle is elevated for Sunday's game. The team elevated WR Jeremiah Webb last week, who, despite ultimately not playing, would have been Kayshon Boutte's replacement if he wasn't ready to go. Sherfield's experience makes him a more appealing depth candidate than Webb.
Finally, the pass rush needs a boost, and Taylor has experience as a pure hunter. It will be a revenge game against the team that only just released him, so the former second-round pick has plenty to prove. While not the flashiest of moves, each of these signings could prove key to the team's playoff success over the next few weeks.