The New England Patriots are absolutely tearing up the back end of their roster, making moves like they are playing chess, not checkers. After ditching safety Elliott Davison on Monday, they pulled two more depth moves Tuesday, activating offensive tackle Marcus Bryant from injured reserve while showing cornerback Kindle Vildor the door. These roster shuffles mean the Patriots still have one open spot on their 53-man team, a spot many expect will go to wide receiver Mack Hollins once he is cleared to return from IR. But let us dig into what these latest moves truly signal for the squad.
OT Marcus Bryant: Back in the Trenches
Talk about a welcome sight! Offensive tackle Marcus Bryant is officially back on the active roster, which is a huge boost for the Patriots upfront. Every NFL team gets to bring back up to eight players from injured reserve during the regular season, and New England had already used one spot on wide receiver A.J. Brown back in Week 6. Bryant was always slated to be one of those returns, declared a candidate when he first went to IR in late August. His activation did not change their IR return count, still sitting at 2-of-8 spots used, but it happened just in time before his 21-day activation window slammed shut.
Now, the Patriots are five players deep at offensive tackle on their 53-man roster. You have got Will Campbell at left tackle and Morgan Moses at right tackle, those guys are locked in as starters. Caleb Lomu has flashed some intriguing talent whenever he has stepped onto the field. But Bryant coming back? That makes him the projected OT4, based on what we saw in training camp and preseason, potentially even pushing for OT3 over rookie Dametrious Crownover. At the very least, Bryant gives this team a ton more flexibility and options on the offensive line. Even better, it means Caleb Lomu could be an emergency interior lineman, though they would obviously prefer to keep him at tackle. More options are always a good thing, right?
CB Kindle Vildor: The Head-Scratcher Release
Alright, now for the head-scratcher. The Patriots released veteran cornerback Kindle Vildor, and frankly, it is a minor surprise, especially if you watched Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. Vildor was on the game day roster, playing 13 snaps, all on special teams. He was actually the fifth cornerback, ahead of rookies Karon Prunty and Channing Canada, who were healthy scratches. For the season, Vildor had consistently out-snapped both those young guys. So, to see him get cut on Tuesday? You have to wonder what went down.
The “why” behind this move has not been officially determined, but it certainly looks tied to the return of cornerback Carlton Davis. Davis missed three games battling a neck injury but was back in the lineup on Sunday. With Davis back on the field, it seems the Patriots decided that roster flexibility was more important than keeping Vildor around. It is a tough break for a veteran, but in this league, teams are always looking to optimize every single spot on that 53-man roster.
These roster tweaks are not just about shuffling names; they are about maximizing every single spot as the season grinds on. We will be watching closely to see if this pays off, especially with that last open spot likely going to Mack Hollins.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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