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That didn’t take long. The New England Patriots have already released their first undrafted free agent signing.
Former LSU standout Liam Shanahan was released, per several reports on Patriots.com. For Shanahan, a Massachusetts native who once worked on the grounds crew for the Boston Red Sox, playing for his hometown football team would’ve been a dream come true.
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Shanahan was one of the just eight players the Patriots brought in as undrafted free agents and one of just three on the offense.
Perhaps the Patriots and Shanahan could link up in the future. For now, New England has decided to part ways with Shanahan very early in rookie minicamp. As it is with some players who don’t make a team in minicamp, training camp or the preseason, there may also be an opportunity for Shanahan in the USFL, which is in the second half of the first season of its reboot.
Other Patriots-Related News: They Signed 3 Draft Picks
New England has signed third-round pick Marcus Jones, a 23-year-old cornerback out of Houston. Kevin Harris, a 21-year-old running back drafted in the sixth round out of South Carolina, and Sam Roberts, a 24-year-old, sixth-round pick from Northwest Missouri State.
Hopes are high for all three players, but Jones’ potential as an all-around playmaker figures to be one of the biggest stories during training camp, the preseason and perhaps into the 2022 campaign.
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Jones is listed as a cornerback, but he tallied nine kick-return touchdowns during his collegiate career, so he will almost certainly have a great chance to replace the departed Gunner Olszewski as the team’s primary return man. In college, Jones also spent time working as a receiver.
Because of how dynamic he is, there is a chance the Patriots find interesting ways to get the ball in his hands. Look for Harris to provide potential depth at running back. If he really performs well during camp, he could even make veteran running back James White expendable.
Other Patriots News: Jarrett Stidham Trade Made Official
For months, the writing had been on the wall for Jarrett Stidham. It turned out the writing was in bold after the Patriots used a fourth-round selection on Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe.
On May 13, New England traded Stidham to the Las Vegas Raiders, where he will reunite with former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who is now the head coach in Las Vegas. Stidham won’t be walking into a situation where he will be competing for a starting spot. Instead, he’ll try to stick on a roster in a system he’s familiar with as he vies to be Derek Carr’s backup.
Stidham joins a group of backup quarterbacks that includes Nick Mullens and Chase Garbers. In addition to Stidham, the Raiders also received a 2023 seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round selection in the draft, per Las Vegas’ Twitter account.
Other Patriots News: The Team’s PR Staff Recognized
The Patriots’ PR staff received a solid honor on Friday. The group which includes VP of communications Stacey James, director of communications Aaron Salkin and communications coordinator Stephanie Burnham received the 2022 Pete Rozelle Award from the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
The award acknowledges the excellent work done by a PR staff with local journalists. Specifically, the Patriots’ PR staff was recognized for their professionalism during the 2020 season that was rocked by the impact of the pandemic.
Perhaps this will be the beginning of an award-winning year for the entire franchise.
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