The New England Patriots found new offensive line depth from another team’s practice squad this week.
According to the NFL transaction wire, the Patriots signed veteran lineman Matt Pryor to their active roster. To do so, New England poached Pryor off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad.
The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin reported the signing Wednesday night. The move became official, hitting the league’s transaction sheet Thursday.
Pryor has appeared in the regular season for four different teams over eight NFL campaigns. He’s played every offensive line position except center.
From 2021-22, he started five contests at left tackle. In October of 2022, he made one start at right tackle before moving to right guard for the Indianapolis Colts. With the Chicago Bears in 2024, Pryor started 15 games at right guard.
Pryor is a candidate to help the Patriots replace right guards Mike Onwenu and Greg Van Roten. Both of those linemen are on New England’s injured reserve.
What Matt Pryor Could Bring to Patriots
SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit’s Bernd Buchmasser summarized it best when he described Pryor bringing “experience and versatility” to New England.
In his ninth season, Pryor has appeared in 109 NFL games, starting 40 of them. He is probably best suited to play right guard, which is what the Patriots need most. But he could really fill any position besides center.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Pryor at No. 206 overall in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After not playing at all as a rookie, he dressed for 12 games in 2019 and then became a starter during 2020.
In the 2020 season, Pryor made six starts at right guard, three at right tackle and one at left tackle.
The Eagles traded the versatile lineman to the Colts at the 2021 NFL roster deadline. He started 14 contests over the next two seasons but ultimately couldn’t find a permanent home along the Indianapolis offense line. The Colts tried Pryor at left tackle, and it didn’t go particularly well with the aging Matt Ryan behind center.
In 2023, Pryor dressed for 15 games with the San Francisco 49ers but didn’t make a start. He became a starter again with the Bears the following year and then returned to the Eagles in 2025. Last season, he started one game at right guard in Week 18. That was his most recent NFL regular season appearance.
Pryor signed with the Cardinals this past offseason. Arizona released the lineman at the roster deadline but brought him back on the practice squad. He will now get an opportunity with the Patriots.
“Having Pryor in the mix increases the personnel flexibility, and allows the Patriots to move their pieces around as they see fit,” wrote Buchmasser.
Under NFL rules, Pryor must spend at least three weeks with the Patriots. Even if New England released the lineman before that, he will remain on full-pay status and occupy a roster spot.
Those are the league’s rules for signing players off other team’s practice squads.
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