Few coaches maneuver the roster like Bill Belichick and he is doing so already this season. After a weekend full of trades and other transactions, the Patriots continued to tinker and appear to have made a move to bring back Brandon Bolden while placing linebacker Shea McClellin on injured reserve.
Bolden was in uniform for the start of practice on Monday while ESPN.com's Field Yates tweeted out the news on McClellin.
It would appear that Bolden will take McClellin's roster spot after being released on Saturday. In order to me eligible for short-term IR, a player must be on the 53-man roster. So it would makes sense it Bolden was released with the idea of replacing McClellin. Teams do not have to declare if a player is designated to return until the player returns to practice, which can't happen for at least six weeks. Players on short-term IR can't return to the active roster for at least eight weeks.
In addition to McClellin, Cameron Fleming and Vincent Valentine also were not spotted at practice. Also, former Steelers wide receiver Demarcus Ayers was reportedly added to the practice squad and was on the field wearing No. 16. Ayers had six catches for 53 yards and a touchdown in two games with Pittsburgh last season.
There was a new defensive lineman as well, wearing No. 94, presumably another member of the practice squad as reports indicated another defensive lineman, Darius Kilgo, was released.
The Patriots were in full pads on Monday as they continue their preparations for Thursday's opener against the Chiefs.
