Man, I don’t even know where to start today. Still reeling from that 32-29 gut punch against the Niners last night. But hey, the NFL keeps rolling, and some teams out east are making moves. The New England Patriots, fresh off their own dominant 45-17 rout in Foxborough, didn’t waste any time bringing in some fresh blood, hosting two free agents for workouts on Monday.
The European Edge Rush Sensation Just Hit the NFL Radar
First up, let’s talk about Diego Paz Gonzalez. This dude is something else! At just 23 years old, this 6-foot-3, 223-pound edge rusher from Galicia, Spain, is coming through the NFL International Player Pathway. And trust me, he is bringing some serious hype. Gonzalez was named the American Football League Europe’s Most Improved Defensive Player of the Year in 2026, and his stats back it up. Playing for Germany’s Rhein Fire, through the regular season and into the postseason, he racked up an insane 48 tackles, nine sacks, four pass breakups, and even took an interception back for a touchdown. That’s big-time production for an international prospect, and if he can translate even a fraction of that to the NFL, he is going to be a problem. This is exactly the kind of outside-the-box talent discovery that can change a defense.
Patriots Roster Shuffle and the Cornerback Depth
Then there’s Dontae Manning, a 25-year-old cornerback out of Oregon. He came into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2025. His journey has been a bit of a grind, clearing waivers after his rookie training camp and signing onto the Chicago Bears’ practice squad. He got retained on a futures contract in January before being part of the league’s cutdown in August. This past preseason, he put up 11 tackles over 121 snaps split between defense and special teams. The Patriots, currently sitting at a 3-2 record under head coach Mike Vrabel, definitely need to keep an eye on their depth. They currently have one open spot on their 53-man roster and another on their 17-man practice squad. That followed a busy weekend of moves, including activating safety Brenden Schooler from the non-football injury list, promoting cornerback Kindle Vildor, and placing fullback Reggie Gilliam and wide receiver Mack Hollins on injured reserve. Linebacker K.J. Britt and safety Elliott Davison also reverted to the practice squad after serving as standard elevations for that massive win. Adding a guy like Manning could give them some solid depth, especially if he can contribute on special teams.
So, the Patriots are busy trying to fine-tune their roster as they look ahead. They’ve got the New York Jets coming to Gillette Stadium next Sunday for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. It’s an AFC East battle, and every game matters now. While they are gearing up for that, I am still processing what went down with our Hawks. Rough one, but you know we will be back. Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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