The New England Patriots are making two moves with one open roster spot.
Safety Dell Pettus is headed to injured reserve with an ankle injury, and coach Mike Vrabel said the team will sign edge rusher Jose Ramirez from its practice squad, per Patriots reporter Evan Lazar.
The decision reveals where New England sees a need after Sunday’s 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pettus and starting safety Craig Woodson both left that game, while edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones also exited with a shoulder injury. Ramirez is an addition on the edge; the Patriots will have to address their thinner safety group through other players in the building or a separate move.
Pettus must miss at least four games once placed on injured reserve. Vrabel doesn’t expect Woodson or Jones to do much at Wednesday’s practice, though Lazar reported more optimism about their outlooks.
Coaches haven’t determined either’s status for Sunday’s visit to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Pettus’ Injury Leaves Safety and Special Teams Holes
Pettus was not just emergency depth.
The former undrafted free agent played all 17 regular-season games in each of his first two NFL seasons. He led the Patriots with 320 special teams snaps in 2025, and the club also used him for 110 defensive snaps, via its safety preview.
His role on coverage units makes this a second personnel challenge since special teams captain Brenden Schooler opened the season on the reserve/non-football injury list, as Patriots.com noted. New England was distributing snaps that usually belonged to one of its core coverage players.
New England started the season with four safeties on its 53-man roster: Pettus, Woodson, Kevin Byard III and Jaylen Reed. The team used Pettus as a bigger nickel defender against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1, another assignment it must redistribute while he is out.
Reed took over when Woodson left against Pittsburgh and played 28 defensive snaps after getting none in the opener.
On Monday, Vrabel also mentioned practice squad safety Mike Brown as someone who might factor into the week’s plans. “I think some of the veteran practice squad guys are going to factor in this week,” Vrabel said in the team’s transcript.
Ramirez Gets NFL Shot After College Breakout
Ramirez gives the Patriots an edge option while they monitor Jones.
New England signed him to its practice squad Sept. 1, and Wednesday’s planned promotion puts him in line for an opportunity.
The 27-year-old entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023. He spent his rookie season on their practice squad, then appeared in four games in 2024, contributing on defense and special teams, according to the Patriots’ player biography.
After Tampa Bay released him in 2025, he played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League. He joined the Philadelphia Eagles on a futures deal this January before landing in New England.
His college action explains the intrigue.
At Eastern Michigan, Ramirez recorded 12 sacks and 19½ tackles for loss in 2022 and won Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, according to the Buccaneers’ profile. That production has yet to appear in an extended NFL role, but the Patriots have seen enough during his short stay to earmark the open roster spot for him.
With Pettus out, Reed and the other safeties face a larger workload.
Ramirez’s promotion addresses a separate concern.
How much either move changes Sunday’s lineup will depend on the health of Woodson and Jones as the week unfolds.
Patriots to Put 320-Snap DB on IR, Turn Roster Spot Over to College Star