Jakob Johnson Joins the Giants, and More Ex-Patriot Signings

There were 27 former members of the New England Patriots cut by teams around the NFL leading up to Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadline. These included former first-round pick N’Keal Harry and 2023 preseason star Malik Cunningham. Since then, several ex-Patriots have signed new deals around the league. This includes former fullback Jakob Johnson, who signed with the New York Giants active roster.

Johnson, a native of Germany, was the first Patriot signed through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. He spent three seasons with New England (2019-2021). He left after the 2021 season to join former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas. The Raiders hired McDaniels as their head coach before the 2022 season. At the time, Johnson said he was told New England would no longer be using his position (fullback) as part of their offensive scheme.

After two seasons with the Raiders, Johnson joined the Giants during training camp. After being waived earlier this week, he originally re-signed with their practice squad. But on Thursday, New York placed center Austin Schlottmann on injured reserve and signed Johnson to the active roster.

Also Read – Meet the 2024 New England Patriots Initial 53-Man Roster

Over five NFL seasons, Jakob Johnson has played in 57 games. Despite lining up in the backfield, Johnson has zero career rushing attempts. He has caught 24 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Johnson’s primary role has always been that of a blocker.

A fullback touchdown makes it a one-possession game! #GoPats

📺: #NEvsSEA on NBC
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/D3Z0XewhrI pic.twitter.com/VZP2jvwYyH

— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2020

A look at other former New England Patriots players among the league’s transactions following the 2024 NFL Cutdown Day:

QB Bailey Zappe, Kansas City Chiefs

Zappe’s departure was covered on Patriots Football Now on Wednesday. After two seasons of extreme highs and lows in New England, the third-year QB joins the practice squad of the defending Super Bowl champions.

RB J.J. Taylor, Houston Texans

Taylor spent three seasons in New England (2020-2022) after signing as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Arizona. He spent most of his time on the practice squad but appeared in 12 regular season games. Taylor rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 56 carries. He added six receptions for 20 yards. New England cut Taylor at the end of training camp in 2023 and the running back opted for a fresh start instead of returning to the Patriots practice squad. He signed with the Texans practice squad, but did not appear in any games. After being among Houston’s final cuts this year, he returned to their practice squad.

WR Malik Cunningham, Baltimore Ravens

After practicing as a quarterback, receiver, and special teams player with the New England Patriots a year ago, Malik Cunningham signed with the Baltimore Ravens off the Patriots practice squad. Cunningham converted to wide receiver full-time in 2024. He caught four passes for 34 yards in preseason, with no drops. Baltimore cut Cunningham on Tuesday but signed him to their practice squad the following day.

QB Will Grier, Philadelphia Eagles

Grier was one of eight contracts under contract with the Patriots in 2023. After New England cut Bailey Zappe on Tuesday, none of the eight remain with the franchise. Grier joined the Los Angeles Chargers last season, who signed him off the Patriots practice squad after their starting quarterback Justin Herbert was injured. Will Grier signed with the Eagles this offseason and played against the Patriots in the preseason. Although he did not make their initial 53-man roster, they signed him to their practice squad on Wednesday.

TE N’Keal Harry, Minnesota Vikings

As with Zappe, the Vikings releasing N’Keal Harry was previously covered on Patriots Football Now. After converting him from wide receiver to tight end this offseason, Harry was cut on Tuesday. He signed back the following day to their practice squad.

OL Chasen Hines, Miami Dolphins

New England selected Hines in the sixth round (No. 210 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft. He never appeared in an NFL game for the Patriots. He spent most of his rookie season on injured reserve before being among the team’s final cuts last season. Chasen Hines spent the 2023 season on Miami’s practice squad. After being cut by the Dolphins on Tuesday, he returns to their practice squad to begin the 2024 season.

OT Conor McDermott, Los Angeles Rams

A day after making the initial 53-man roster for the Rams, the team placed McDermott on injured reserve to start the season. The injury is listed as “undisclosed” and will sideline McDermott for at least the first four games of 2024.

WR Kristian Wilkerson, Las Vegas Raiders

Wilkerson is another player who signed back with the practice squad of the team that cut him this week. He impressed an undrafted rookie free agent in the 2020 preseason for New England. Wilkerson played two seasons with the team, appearing in four games. He caught four passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns. After spending 2022 on injured reserve, Wilkerson played in two games with the Raiders last season.

CB Ameer Speed, Indianapolis Colts

The Patriots drafted Speed in the sixth round (No. 210 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. New England released the cornerback on Oct. 19, 2023. They intended to add him to their practice squad, but the Colts claimed him on waivers. Speed appeared in 13 games as a rookie last season, five for New England and eight for Indianapolis. He did not make the Colts initial 53-man roster this season but signed back to their practice squad.

WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey and OL Will Sherman, Denver Broncos

Both players were cut by the Broncos on Tuesday and returned to their practice the following day. Humphrey spent 2022 with New England after three seasons in New Orleans. He appeared in six games for the Patriots, with two receptions for 20 yards. He spent 2023 in Denver.

Sherman came to New England as a sixth-round pick (No. 197 overall) from Colorado. After spending his rookie season on the Patriots practice squad, Sherman got cut before the 2023 season. He signed with the Broncos practice squad, where he begins the 2024 season. He has yet to make his NFL debut.

DL Bryon Cowart and DL Sam Roberts, Chicago Bears

The Bears signed two former New England Patriots defensive linemen to the practice squad. Cowart was drafted in the fifth round (No. 159 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played two seasons (2019-2020) with the Patriots. Cowart appearied in 19 games and recorded one sack. He stayed on the team until his release on July 23, 2022. He was claimed by the Colts, playing for Indianapolis in 2022. Cowart has since been on the practice squads of the Chiefs, Texans, Dolphins, and Bears.

Byron Cowart had the OL doing the splits 😱😱 pic.twitter.com/dmrvbDdvtZ

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) August 17, 2019

Sam Roberts played in 12 games over the past two seasons in New England. He was beat out in training camp this season by Trysten Hill (who later was cut and signed back to New England’s practice squad). Roberts originally came to New England as the Patriots’ sixth-round pick (No. 200 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.

RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn, San Francisco 49ers

Vaughn spent his first three-plus seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He finished the 2023 season, his fourth in the NFL, as a member of the Patriots practice squad. New England signed him to a future contract after the season but released him over the summer. Vaughn signed with the 49ers. Although they cut him on Monday, they brought him back to their practice squad three days later.

DE William Bradley-King, Miami Dolphins

Bradley-King became the third player cut by New England this week to sign elsewhere, joining Bailey Zappe and Sam Roberts. He signed with the New England Patriots practice squad on Oct. 18, 2023. Bradley-King did not appear in any NFL games last season for the Patriots. He impressed toward the end of training camp, but not enough to make the initial 53-man roster. He spent two-plus seasons with Washington (four NFL games) before signing with New England last season.