The New England Patriots lost two of their practice squad players heading into their Week 4 game against the Carolina Panthers. On Tuesday, the rival New York Jets stole linebacker Mark Robinson, a special teams hand, from the Patriots' practice squad, and the thievery continued the next day.
Now, the Cleveland Browns have joined in on the fun, signing offensive linemen Thayer Munford Jr., per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Munford, 26, was signed to the Patriots' practice squad last month after he was released by the Las Vegas Raiders, and now his stint is over already.
Munford did not suit up at all during his short tenure with the Patriots. He now has the opportunity to do so for the Browns, who placed starting tackle Dawand Jones on injured reserve earlier this week.
Thayer Munford Jr. Leaves Patriots' Practice Squad to Join Browns
It'll be interesting to see if Munford sticks around in Cleveland. The former 2022 seventh-rounder started 18 times in his 46 appearances with the Las Vegas Raiders, giving him the type of experience that the Browns need to replace Jones.
Munford had his best season in 2023, starting in 10 games, and receiving an 80.4 pass grade and 74.1 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. He started the 2024 season as the team’s starting right tackle but was quickly moved to the bench, leaving him in dire need of a fresh start.
The Patriots thought they were the perfect team to give Munford that opportunity when they added him to the practice squad, but things change quickly in the NFL. Since the Patriots have five tackles on their active roster, it would’ve been difficult for Munford to see any playing time, which is why the Browns pounced on the opportunity to sign him.
Although Munford would’ve been a solid depth piece, it’s evident that the Patriots are confident in rookie Will Campbell and Morgan Moses as their two starting tackles. The results have been a mixed bag so far, with New England's O-line owning the ninth-best PFF pass blocking grade (63.8) but coming in at 30th for run blocking (48.0).
Now that Munford is no longer on the team, the Patriots currently have two offensive linemen on the practice squad, Jake Conley and Brenden Jaimes. Since they have two practice squad spots open, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported the team held workouts with four players yesterday to help fill the open spaces.
Whether it’s another offensive lineman or a skill position player, the Patriots should add an experienced veteran to the practice squad to bolster their depth following Munford's exit.