FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced today a series of roster moves by releasing 14 players.
The Patriots released the following players: TE Jaheim Bell, RB Micah Bernard, DT Philip Blidi, CB Isaiah Bolden, TE Cole Fotheringham, WR Phil Lutz, LB R.J. Moten, DT Kyle Peko, CB Jordan Polk, LB Monty Rice, G Tyrese Robinson, G Sidy Sow, RB Shane Watts and QB Ben Wooldridge.
Bell, 24, was drafted by New England in the seventh-round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida State. The 6-foot-2, 241-pounder, played in 15 games as a reserve tight end and a member of the special teams units last year, finishing with 2 receptions for 20 yards.
Bernard, 23, was signed by New England on August 19, 2025. He was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Tennessee Titans on May 8, 2025, out of Utah. The 5-foot-10, 206-pounder, was released by Tennessee on June 2, 2025. He played in 47 games during his college career and finished with 421 rushing attempts for 2,298 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 99 receptions for 770 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Blidi, 23, was signed by New England on August 19, 2025. He was originally signed by the Tennessee Titans as a rookie free agent out of Auburn on May 8, 2025, and released on August 17, 2025. The 6-foot-3, 297-pounder, tallied 91 tackles, 11½ sacks and 1 fumble recovery during his college career. He began his career at Texas Tech (2020-22), Indiana (2023) and then at Auburn (2024).
Bolden, 25, was drafted by New England in the seventh-round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Jackson State. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder spent his rookie season on injured reserve and began the 2024 season on the practice squad before being signed to the 53-man roster. He played in 14 games last year and finished with 9 total tackles.
Fotheringham, 27, was signed by New England on July 30, 2025. He originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders on May 13, 2022, out of Utah. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder, spent his first two seasons (2022-23) on the Raiders practice squad before being elevated for two games late in the season. Fotheringham was released by Las Vegas at the end of the 2024 training camp and spent time during the year on the practice squads of both Houston and Las Vegas. Fotheringham was signed by Denver on May 12, 2025, but was released on June 5, 2025.
Lutz, 24, was signed by New England on August 19, 2025. He began his college career at Tufts before transferring to Delaware for the last two seasons. The 6-foot, 195-pounder, led the team with 45 receptions for 863 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. During the 2022 season at Tufts, Lutz finished with 78 receptions for 1,221 yards and 14 touchdowns, while averaging 15.7 yards per catch.
Moten, 23, was signed by New England on July 29, 2025. He played in his first two college seasons at Michigan (2021-2022) before transferring to Florida for his final two collegiate seasons. Overall, he played in 47 games and finished with 88 total tackles, 2 sacks and 5 passes defensed during his college career. He played with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL this past spring.
Peko, 32, was signed by New England on August 11, 2025. He has spent time with Denver (2016-18, 2019-20), Buffalo (2018-19), Indianapolis (2019), Tennessee (2021, 2023), Las Vegas (2022) and Detroit (2024). The 6-foot-1, 305-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Denver out of Oregon State in 2016. Overall, he has played in 47 games with 14 starts and has registered 58 total tackles, 2 sacks, 2 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble. He has had two different stints with both Denver and Tennessee during his career.
Polk, 24, was signed by New England as a rookie free agent on May 9, 2025. The 5-foot-11, 189-pounder, played at East Texas A&M for two seasons before transferring to Texas State for the 2024 season. He earned All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention last year after starting all 13 games and finishing first on the team with 69 total tackles.
Rice, 26, originally joined the New England practice squad on November 5, 2024. After being elevated to the active roster for two games he was signed to the 53-man roster for the final game of the season. He originally entered the NFL as a third-round draft pick (92nd overall) by Tennessee in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Georgia. The 6-foot, 223-pounder, played in 35 games for the Titans with 10 starts and accumulated 110 total tackles, 2 passes defensed and 18 special teams tackles. Rice was released by Tennessee on Dec. 5, 2023, and was claimed off waivers by New Orleans on Dec. 6, 2023. Rice was inactive for five games with the Saints. He went to training camp with New Orleans this past summer and spent the beginning of the year on the Atlanta practice squad before being released on Oct. 21, 2024. He played in three games for the Patriots last season with one start and had one solo special teams tackle.
Robinson, 26, was signed by New England to the 53-man roster from the Minnesota Vikings practice squad on November 6, 2024. He originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Washington on May 2, 2022, out of Oklahoma. The 6-foot-3, 319-pounder, was released by Washington at the end of training camp and spent the year on the Philadelphia practice squad. After being released by Philadelphia at the end of training camp in 2023, Robinson spent the 2023 season on the Minnesota practice squad and began the 2024 season on the practice squad as well. He made his NFL debut in the final game of the 2024 season vs. Buffalo on Jan. 5, 2025, when he entered the game at right guard.
Sow, 27, was drafted by New England in the fourth-round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Eastern Michigan. The 6-foot-5, 318-pounder, has played in 27 games with 14 starts during his two seasons in New England, seeing action at left guard, right guard, right tackle, fullback and as a tackle-eligible tight end.
Watts, 23, was signed by New England on August 12, 2025. He played four years at Fort Hays State and was an All-America Second Team selection in 2024 by three separate organizations, including the D2CCA, Associated Press (AP), and Don Hansen Football Committee. The 5-foot-9, 195-pounder, finished the year with 1,303 rushing yards and 449 receiving yards for 1,752 all-purpose yards. He scored 17 touchdowns, including 13 rushing and four receiving. Watts spent the first two seasons at Fort Hayes State as a defensive back before switching to running back.
Wooldridge, 25, was signed by New England as a rookie free agent on May 9, 2025, out of Louisiana. He began his college career at Fresno State before transferring to Louisiana for his final three seasons. He finished his career with 4,769 yards passing and 38 touchdowns. He was named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 after completing 185-of-271 passes for 2,392 yards and 17 touchdowns.
