Bill Murray Making Roster Would Be Patriots Latest Cinderella Story

Patriots rookies joined the full-team virtual meeting for the first time this week. Defensive tackle Bill Murray had another chance to earn his “Stripes.” Things will get really great for the brilliant Bill Murray and the Patriots.

“He’s hilarious,” said Keenan Carter, the defensive line coach at William & Mary. “He kept our whole entire unit going.”

Murray may be joking, but he is pretty serious when it comes to winning games. That’s why the New England Patriots showed great interest in making him a candidate to continue the impressive streak. In the past 16 NFL seasons, at least one undrafted rookie player joined the Patriots’ 53-man roster. This the third-longest streak in the league. The Los Angeles Chargers have 23, and the Indianapolis Colts have 21.

Bill Murray to the Patriots

Murray is a “priority free agent” for the team. He could easily be a late-round pick, but his path was different. He has more money than seventh-round selection Dustin Woodward though.

The Patriots were definitely interested in him as they didn’t select a defensive tackle in the top 10 draft picks. New England’s system is similar to the system Murray had during his time at William & Mary in 2019.

“He has unbelievable talent. He’s so passionate about the game. That’s why I love Bill so much. And character-wise, he’s an awesome leader,” Carter said. “He has a bright future.”

Murray measures at 6-foot-4, 280 pounds. He was a three-year starter for the Tribe. During that time, he totaled 142 tackles, 19 sacks, four forced fumbles and 10 blocked kicks.

In 2019, William & Mary switched coaching staffs, and Murray had to learn a brand new defense. This defense is similar to the Patriots’ defense.

“It’s that Belichick, [Bill] Parcells, [Nick] Saban, the whole [coaching tree] — a similar defense, probably with some of the similar calls,” said Carter. “We’re based out of a 3-4 but also multiple, playing 4-down [linemen] as well. So Bill had been used to a certain scheme, but he was like, ‘Coach, teach me.’ Every day, it was questions, and he thrived in it.”

Head coach Bill Belichick has high expectations from his team. He packed the roster with talent which means the Patriots are ready to move on.