Getty Bill Belichick recently made more moves at receiver.
The New England Patriots continued its wide receiver carousel on Friday, September 1, with a signing and corresponding release.
New England signed former New York Jets wide receiver T.J. Luther to the practice squad according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Luther, who spent most of training camp with the Jets and played in the preseason, impressed at his Pro Day with a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical.
In a corresponding move, the Patriots released practice squad wide receiver Thyrick Pitts as Boston Herald reporter Doug Kyed reported. Pitts joined the Patriots in a pinch after the sudden retirement of Jalen Hurd during training camp.
ONE HANDED‼️‼️‼️
TJ Luther OH MY #SCTop10
A former Chicago Bears practice squad member, Pitts had two catches for 16 yards with the Patriots in the preseason. Pitts had a stellar collegiate career with Delaware before he became an undrafted free agent this year with an initial stop in Chicago before the Bears released him.
Friday’s moves became the latest for the Patriots — a day after the franchise signed wide receiver Jalen Reagor to the practice squad. A former first-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, Reagor spent training camp with the Minnesota Vikings but got released.
Jalen Reagor Could Face Former Team
Reagor played two seasons with the Eagles where he tallied 64 receptions for 695 yards and three touchdowns in 28 games. His time in Philly ended with a thud when he muffed two punts in a 31-15 Wild Card Game loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January 2022.
Philadelphia traded him to Minnesota in August 2022, Reagor played in all 17 games for the Vikings that season. He didn’t match his production in Philadelphia, however, amid eight catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.
If Reagor can improve and move up to the active 53-man roster by Week 1, he would face his original team at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots host the Eagles on September 10 when the six-time Super Bowl champions will honor former quarterback Tom Brady.
Patriots Receiving Positive Update on Tyquan Thornton
New England wide receiver Tyquan Thornton will miss the first four games of the season on injured reserve, but his hiatus might not last much longer. Thornton suffered a shoulder injury in joint practices with the Green Bay Packers.
Kyed reported that Thornton is “not anticipated to be out for long” and added that the second-year receiver “has been around Gillette Stadium”, which is also promising.
Tyquan Thornton with his first TD!!!
“If the Patriots thought it was going to force him to miss the entire season, then he would have been placed on injured reserve during cutdowns rather than two days later,” Kyed wrote. “Players placed on injured reserve during cuts are out for the entire season. Players placed on injured reserve after 4 p.m. Wednesday can return after four games.”
How Thornton will contribute when he returns remains the question. He underperformed as a rookie with 22 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns.
“Thornton feels significantly behind JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne, and [Demario] Douglas is already back from a shoulder injury he suffered in the Patriots’ preseason game against the Packers,” Kyed wrote. “So, unless there are wide receiver injuries in the interim, Thornton is going to be playing from behind when he is healthy.”