The New England Patriots just got a tough pill to swallow: Safety Dell Pettus is officially headed to injured reserve, meaning he’s out for at least four games. This move, announced by head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday, comes after Pettus picked up an ankle injury last weekend during their 20-3 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pettus’s Crucial Role From Undrafted Rookie To Super Bowl Starter
Pettus, a 25-year-old safety, isn’t just some camp body, either. The undrafted free agent from 2024 has been a workhorse, making the initial active roster as a rookie and appearing in all 36 games since then. We even saw him on the field in the Emerald City earlier this month when the Patriots played our very own Seahawks at Lumen Field, and he’s been a part of Super Bowl LX. He’s logged 471 snaps on defense and a massive 579 snaps on special teams, racking up 56 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and even a first down as the personal punt protector. Making a pair of starts in the secondary, this 5-foot-11, 200-pound Troy alum has been a surprisingly versatile piece of their defense. The ankle injury, suffered in the second quarter against the Steelers, saw him downgraded from questionable to out by the end of their home opener, alongside fellow safety Craig Woodson. Losing that kind of experience, especially on special teams, is a big hit this early in the season.
From CFL To The 53-Man Roster: Jose Ramirez Gets His Shot
To fill the gap left by Pettus, the Patriots are promoting 27-year-old outside linebacker Jose Ramirez to the 53-man roster. This isn’t just a random practice squad guy getting a shot, either. Ramirez joined the 17-man practice squad right after the league’s cutdown deadline and is getting the call-up on the heels of recent ailments to Dre’Mont Jones and Quintayvious Hutchins off the edges. A former MAC Defensive Player of the Year from Eastern Michigan, Ramirez was a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft at No. 196 overall. He started his NFL journey with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appearing in four career games with 30 snaps on defense and 40 on special teams. What’s wild is he spent last year with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats before circling back to the NFL, signing a futures contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in January before being waived at the conclusion of training camp. Head coach Mike Vrabel is clearly impressed, saying Ramirez “Been a really good practice player for us. I think he’s improved since the time he’s been here, multiple times being recognized. He’s taken the reps that we talk about being on the show team and using those to his advantage.”
With Pettus sidelined, the Patriots are really leaning on Ramirez to step up and make an impact when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday. It’s a 1 p.m. ET kickoff at EverBank Stadium, and with injury concerns mounting, they’ll need every bit of that “good practice player” energy on the field.
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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