Tom E. Curran and Greg Bedard break down why Bailey Zappe’s struggles this preseason are a sign that the team needs to ‘upgrade’ at backup quarterback if they view themselves as a legitimate playoff contender.
It's cutdown day across the NFL as teams have to trim their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Like every year, there will be quality players who, for whatever reason, get released. Teams have to make a lot of tough decisions on this day.
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Many of the players released Tuesday will eventually find new homes as teams continue to adjust their 53-man roster and add guys to their practice squad.
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Here's a list of players recently released by other teams who might be a fit for the New England Patriots. We will add players to this article as they get released. For a quarterback list, click here.
Albert Okwuegbunam, TE (Update: Traded to Eagles)
Okwuegbunam was cut by the Broncos on Tuesday. The Broncos had a ton of depth at tight end with Adam Trautman, Greg Dulcich and Chris Manhertz also on their roster.
Okwuegbunam is listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, and he also ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. He has tallied 54 receptions for 546 yards and four touchdowns in 26 career games over three seasons.
His athleticism, physical blocking and decent pass-catching ability make him an intriguing fit for the Patriots if they look for a third tight end behind Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.
Eric Tomlinson, TE
The Texans released Tomlinson on Tuesday. He's a player the Patriots should be familiar with after he spent time in New England in 2019. Tomlinson played in 17 games for the Broncos last season and tallied nine receptions 79 yards and two touchdowns. He's more of a blocking tight end at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds.
David Quessenberry, OT
Quessenberry was released by the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday. He was a swing tackle for Buffalo last season and played 16 games, including three starts. He started all 17 games for the Tennessee Titans in 2021, mostly at right tackle. Quessenberry has 51 career games played (26 starts) in five seasons.
Alan Ali, OL
Ali was released by the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday and is a candidate to join their practice squad if he clears waivers. The undrafted rookie played all five offensive line positions during his collegiate career at TCU and was the starting center in all 15 games last season as the Horned Frogs advanced all the way to the national championship game against Georgia. He's listed at 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds.
Ali's versatility would make him a nice fit for any team. He's probably better suited as an interior offensive lineman, but he has experience at both tackle spots, too.
Tyre Phillips, OT
The New York Giants released Phillips on Tuesday, which was a little surprising. He was a third-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 and played two seasons for the AFC North franchise before joining the Giants for the 2022 campaign. He played in 12 games for the Giants and started five of them. He has 18 starts in 34 career games. Phillips has great size at 6-foot-5 and 350 pounds. He has primarily played right guard and right tackle in his NFL career.
And if the Patriots want to surprise defenses at the goal line, Phillips could maybe serve as a fullback based on the clip below. But in all seriousness, Phillips is worth taking a chance on.
Jaylon Smith, LB
Smith was a surprise cut by the Saints at Tuesday's deadline. The former Cowboys second-round pick tallied 88 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery in 13 games for the Saints last season. When healthy, he can still make a difference.
