6 Patriots on Thin Ice Following OTAs

5. Trysten Hill, Defensive Tackle

Trysten Hill entered the 2019 NFL Draft with plenty of question marks and he's done nothing to adequately answer them. The Dallas Cowboys were without a first-round pick in 2019 following their trade for Amari Cooper, meaning their first selection was at No. 58 overall that year. That's where they took Hill, a UCF product who started just once during his final collegiate season.

Hill was seen as immature and lacked the desire to be great. Still, Dallas listened to Rod Marinelli who thought he could coach him up. For some reason, they did this often despite the defensive coordinator never truly leading any of his pet projects to success. That was the case with Hill as well, who lasted nearly four years in Dallas but was able to play just 25 games.

He was released in 2022 and finished the year with the Arizona Cardinals. His tenure in Dallas was highlighted by a two-game suspension for punching Raiders guard John Simpson and falling asleep while NBA Hall of Famer Isaiah Thomas addressed the team in a meeting.

After starting the 2023 season with the Cleveland Browns, Hill was again a free agent when they cut ties in September. He signed with the Patriots and played in one game — recording no stats.

Hill is now trying to fight for a spot on the Patriots 53-man roster but it's going to be tough for him. The only way he makes it is if the front office decides to make some cap-savings cuts with veterans such as Davon Godchaux. Even then, it wouldn't be a lock for Hill, who could be running out of time to make an impact in the NFL.