The New England Patriots will open training camp without one of their undrafted rookies getting the opportunity to enter a crowded wide receiver competition.
New England placed Jimmy Kibble on injured reserve Friday, the team announced while signing rookie tight end Jeremiah Franklin which reports from yesterday confirmed.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported the pair of transactions.
🏈 Signed: TE Jeremiah Franklin (Boston College)
🏈 Placed on injured reserve: WR Jimmy Kibble (Georgetown)
The Patriots didn’t disclose Kibble’s injury or provide a recovery timeline.
The move came one day before the Patriots’ first public practice on Saturday and less than three months after Kibble signed with the team May 8.
He arrived as one of 12 rookie free agents and had spent the spring trying to carry a productive Georgetown career into an NFL roster bid.
His placement on injured reserve brings that initial push to an abrupt stop.
NFL rules allow teams to designate up to two players for return when they place them on an applicable reserve list during the final roster reduction, which is scheduled for Aug. 30.
Kibble moved to injured reserve more than a month before that exception becomes available.
Kibble Dealt Blow in Crowded Patriots Competition
The Virginia native already faced one of the steeper paths among New England’s rookies.
The Patriots entered camp with 12 receivers before Friday’s move.
A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs arrived as the leading options, while Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III returned from last season.
New England’s official position preview described the group as one of the deepest wide receiver rooms the franchise has assembled in recent years.
That made training camp and the preseason particularly important for him.
Kibble needed live repetitions to show that his production could translate from the Football Championship Subdivision and to establish value beyond the offense.
A pre-camp scouting report from Pats Pulpit projected Kibble as a developmental Z receiver and possible practice squad candidate.
The report noted his physicality, willingness to catch the ball with his hands and effort after the catch, while identifying route running and limited special teams experience as areas he needed to address.
The same report said Kibble’s three-year rookie contract contained no guaranteed money.
His best opportunity involved outperforming expectations during camp or creating a role on special teams. Injured reserve removes the audition he needed to make either case this summer.
Georgetown Production Provides Kibble NFL Opportunity
Kibble reached New England after his strongest college season.
The 6-foot-1, 199-pound receiver started all 12 games for Georgetown in 2025, catching 63 passes for 1,002 yards and four touchdowns.
He ranked second in the Patriot League in receptions and earned first-team all-conference honors.
Kibble also served as a team captain and finished his Georgetown career fourth in program history with 2,593 receiving yards.
His senior season included a 49-yard Hail Mary reception that delivered a win over Morgan State and a season-high 141 receiving yards against Colgate.
Kibble earned a place on the Patriot League Academic All-League team and became a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes college football players for academics, performance and leadership.
The Patriots credited him with 149 catches for 2,642 yards and 16 touchdowns across 39 collegiate appearances when announcing Friday’s move.
Those numbers and a solid pro-day workout gave Kibble enough to earn an NFL contract after the draft.
His first summer in Foxborough was supposed to determine whether he could turn that opportunity into a longer stay.
Instead, his roster bid ended before first occasion to shine.
New England Patriots Place All-Conference Receiver on Injured Reserve