Patriots Release Wide Receiver Ahead Of Week 11 Jets Game

The New England Patriots play against the New York Jets on Sunday and head coach Bill Belichick made an unexpected change ahead of the matchup. According to several sources, the Patriots decided to release wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

Humphrey, 24, joined the Patriots in June. Head coach Belichick gave him a chance to be part of the 53-man roster and Humphrey saw a lot of playing time. Did he use it? Of course not. He caught just two passes on four targets for 20 yards. Belichick used him as a run-blocking specialist on the field. We all know that Belichick likes versatile players. This makes Humphrey an ideal option for the team. He is the perfect hybrid between a wide receiver and a tight end.

Patriots release the talented wide receiver, have great depth at the position

The Patriots were more than happy to have Humphrey on the roster, but they decided to make a change and released him.

Humphrey was great in the preseason, but the return of rookie wideout Tyquan Thornton put a spell to his stint with the Patriots. New England cut him on Oct. 11 and added him to the practice unit on Oct. 13. It was a pointless change because the Patriots didn’t elevate him in the last three games.

Losing the young wide receiver won’t really affect the Patriots. They have DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, and Thornton on the depth chart. Lynn Bowden and Tre Nixon could jump into game action whenever Belichick calls their name. He elevated Bowden for the game against the Indianapolis Colts and he played 14 offensive snaps. Nixon has yet to play his first game with the Patriots, but seems to be ready for the challenge.

New England looks good at the moment and players have to prepare for the final stretch of games. Mac Jones had some struggles on the field, but Belichick decided to stick with him. Bailey Zappe is here to make things easier for everyone. He is not a starting quarterback, but he is a ray of light on the 2022 roster.