The NFL offseason is the perfect opportunity for teams and players to experience fresh starts. Having said that, some new beginnings involve a bit of pain, and that's exactly what happened when the New England Patriots cut the following four players on March 21 to make room for fresh offseason additions:
- Curtis Jacobs, LB
- Caleb Jones, OT
- Andrew Park Jr., LB
- Lecitus Smith, OG
Although it can take some time for a player to find another home after being cut, two of the Patriots' recently released players have already landed new gigs.
OG Lecitus Smith, LB Curtis Jacobs Sign With New Teams After Patriots Release
On Monday afternoon, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that Curtis Jacobs and Lecitus Smith were claimed by new teams. Smith will be heading to the AFC North to join the Pittsburgh Steelers while Jacobs is heading south as the newest member of the Tennessee Titans.
Two players the #Patriots cut recently were claimed off waivers today: Guard Lecitus Smith is headed to the #Steelers, while LB Curtis Jacobs joins the #Titans.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 24, 2025
Jacobs, 23, joined the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State last offseason. The Chiefs ended up waiving the Glen Burnie, MD native before the end of August, allowing the Patriots to sign him to their practice squad for the 2024 campaign.
Jacobs ended up making nine appearances (2 starts) in a New England jersey, with the majority of his opportunities coming on special teams. He ended up recording four total tackles (2 solo efforts) while playing to a solid special teams grade of 77.1 on Pro Football Focus. That's the type of player the Titans need after finishing with the sixth-worst special teams grade (69.8).
Meanwhile, the Steelers mark the sixth NFL organization that Smith is a part of after being drafted 215th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. The 6-foot-3, 314-pound blocker was signed to the Patriots practice squad in October before going on to play in eight games (1 start), playing to run block and special teams grades of 58.1 and 61.4, respectively.
While some fans will be sad to see the duo go, being without Jacobs and Smith likely won't affect the Patriots' outlook. They were going to be training camp bubble players at best, meaning it was wise to let them look for new opportunities now rather than when fewer openings are available in the summer.
Time will tell if either Jacobs and/or Smith will crack their respective new team's 53-man roster.