3 Former Patriots Still Unemployed Entering Training Camp
There are still a lot of notable free agents out there with NFL training camp on deck. The New England Patriots made a point to bring back a lot of their own guys this offseason but there are still a handful of notable names still out there for one reason or another.
Which Patriots players are still looking for work now that it's time for players to get ready to report for training camp?
3 Patriots players still unemployed before training camp
1. Adrian Phillips, safety
Adrian Phillips has been in the NFL for 10 years at this point and has had some really productive seasons for both the Chargers and Patriots organizations. He's played a ton of defense and special teams over the course of those 10 years and was even recognized as an All-Pro for the Chargers back in the 2018 season.
With the Patriots, Phillips had a career-high 109 total tackles back in 2020, but his production and snaps have declined over the last four years. The Patriots released Phillips back in February before the start of NFL free agency and at this point, he's still looking for a place to play in 2024.
Pats Pulpit had this to say about Phillips being released back in February:
"Versatility and leadership are pulled from the secondary: Phillips lost his starting position in 2023 and played only a marginal role as a rotational third/fourth safety option behind the likes of Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers and Jalen Mills. However, he still offered a vast amount of experience at multiple positions in the secondary and the kicking game.
- Pats Pulpit
With him now gone, so will be the leadership he provided as a jack of all trades — one who handled himself like a classic “Patriot Way” defender: no matter his usage, Phillips was a reliable contributor on the team for the past four seasons."
The Patriots are hopeful that young Marte Mapu can continue to develop, so we should expect to see him playing a versatile role this year especially with Phillips gone.