Patriots waive 15 players as roster cuts begin ahead of deadline
New England announced the release of 15 players, reducing its roster to 76 as it moves toward the league-mandated 53-man limit.
The New England Patriots have begun the first wave of roster reductions, waiving 15 players as the league-wide deadline for the 53-man roster approaches. The cuts include three wide receivers—Kyle Dixon, Nick DeGennaro and Cameron Dorner—tight end C.J. Dippre, offensive tackle Lorenz Metz, interior linemen Darrian Dalcourt, Jacob Rizy and JonDarius Morgan, outside linebackers Xavier Holmes, Amari Gainer and Jesse Luketa, cornerbacks Brandon Crossley and Marcellas Dial Jr., safety Peter Manuma, and safety Eric Butler, who was waived with an injury designation.
Dixon, a former baseball player who posted 143 receptions for 2,394 yards at Culver-Stockton, led the Patriots in preseason catches with ten. DeGennaro, a former Maryland, Richmond and James Madison player, recorded five receptions and a touchdown in three preseason games. Dorner, who transferred from Division II Shepherd to North Texas, caught four passes in the preseason. Dippe, an Alabama alumnus, appeared on 46 offensive and special-teams snaps after being promoted from the practice squad last season. Metz, a German-trained lineman, remained on the roster as an exempt practice-squad player. Dalcourt, a former Alabama player, saw 25 offensive snaps in two preseason outings. Rizy, who played at Harvard and Florida State, started the final preseason game after 155 snaps as a third-string center. Morgan logged 40 snaps as a guard depth option.
Outside linebackers Holmes, Gainer and Luketa were also released; Holmes missed recent preseason action due to an undisclosed injury, Gainer posted one sack in three games, and Luketa, a former Cardinals seventh-round pick, had 35 career tackles. Cornerbacks Crossley and Dial Jr. were cut; Dial, a 2024 sixth-round pick, appeared in 17 games as a rookie. Safety Manuma, an undrafted Hawaii player, recorded two tackles in three preseason contests. Butler, another undrafted safety, will revert to injured reserve if he clears waivers.
With these moves and a recent trade, the Patriots' roster stands at 76 players. The team must trim the squad to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30.