6 Former Patriots Still Unemployed Heading into Week 2

Lawrence Guy, DL

The veteran defensive lineman was the longest-tenured Patriots defender before getting released after the 2023 season. He has been a consistent fixture for New England for the past seven seasons, including playing in every game last year.

As a 34-year-old, Guy had his worst season as a pro, receiving a 45.5 grade on PFF. The previous season's overall grade of 53.5 wasn't that much better, which makes New England's decision to part ways with him more understandable.

In his prime, Guy was one of the best players of his position. After he signed a four-year, $20 million contract with the Patriots in the 2017 offseason, he was a huge part of the Patriots elite defenses, playing a role in the Super Bowl win. He is still on the market but it may be hard for him to land another contract.

JC Jackson, CB

When the Patriots signed JC Jackson as an undrafted free agent in 2018, they certainly had no idea that they were signing one of the most productive cornerbacks in the league. For the next four seasons, Jackson was one of the best bargain deals in the league as he made the Pro Bowl, was second-team All-Pro, and helped the Patriots win a Super Bowl. In 28 games he played between 2020 and 2021, he had a whopping 17 interceptions.

What happened after remains a big mystery. The Chargers signed Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million deal in 2022 and regretted it immediately as he failed to meet expectations. He was benched after five games and then suffered a season-ending injury.

After two games in the 2023 season, the Patriots traded for him and he appeared in eight games for the team. His last two seasons were so bad that he is still out there. Unlike Lawrence Guy, however, he will likely sign with a team before the end of the season.