The New England Patriots officially signed veteran offensive lineman Xavier Newman-Johnson to their practice squad on Thursday, a clear signal they’re shuffling things along the interior line. This move came right after Newman-Johnson made a midweek visit to Gillette Stadium, locking him in for the team.
A Veteran Guard Joins the Squad
Newman-Johnson, who’s 27, isn’t some fresh face; he’s got 25 NFL games under his belt, including five starts. The guy’s a 6-foot-2, 297-pound guard with experience at center and both guard spots. He even has 338 offensive snaps and 68 special teams snaps to his name. He originally broke into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans back in 2022, spending a couple seasons with Mike Vrabel’s former club before heading to the AFC East. Before landing with the Pats, he’d been cut from the New York Jets’ practice squad, after bouncing between their practice squad, 53-man roster, and even injured reserve while in Florham Park. Clearly, the Patriots are looking for some seasoned depth on their offensive line.
Rookie Makes Way for Experience
To make room for Newman-Johnson, the Patriots released rookie offensive lineman Jacob Rizy from their practice squad. Rizy, 24, was part of New England’s 2026 undrafted class, signing on in May. The 6-foot-5, 306-pounder got some work in during preseason, playing 155 snaps at center across three games before getting waived ahead of the 53-man roster deadline. After going unclaimed, he joined the practice squad when it formed in late August. Rizy had a solid college career too, with three seasons at Harvard and two at Florida State, where he was a 27-game starter and earned second-team and first-team All-Ivy League honors, playing center, left guard, right guard, and right tackle. It’s tough for a rookie to get cut, but clearly, the Pats opted for a veteran presence.
With these changes, the Patriots are getting ready to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday for their home opener. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET, and it’ll be interesting to see how this depth shift might impact the team’s game plan, even if it’s just on the practice squad for now.
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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