The New England Patriots just lost a key piece of their defensive depth chart. ESPN insider Adam Schefter reports the Detroit Lions signed linebacker KJ Britt from the Pats’ practice squad. “Linebacker KJ Britt is signing to the Lions’ active roster from the Patriots’ practice squad.” This is a blow for a team that needs every available body right now. Before his release at the end of August, Britt had signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal. He is a veteran who has played 77 games in his career.
New England needs this kind of experience. Britt has logged 162 total tackles and three pass deflections over his time in the league. He was elevated for just one game this season against the Las Vegas Raiders, where he recorded a single tackle. Now he will play for a division rival in the NFC North. The Lions are looking to offset injuries to their own linebackers, including rookie Jimmy Rolder and captain Jack Campbell. For the Patriots, this leaves an open spot on the practice squad that needs filling fast.
The Money Problem Stops Big Moves
While the team loses a veteran, they also cannot easily buy a replacement. Phil Perry wrote that the Patriots are operating on a tight budget. “Second, they gave up a significant draft asset in dealing for A.J. Brown, which may make it more difficult for them to part with a draft choice of value in a deadline deal.” Robert Kraft has stated the team is essentially a cash-to-cap team over a three-year period.
This financial reality limits what the front office can do. They spent a lot of cash recently on extensions and need to save for Drake Maye. The loss of Britt is small on the surface, but it shows the team cannot just sign anyone to fix holes. They have to rely on internal options like running back Terrell Jennings, who just joined the practice squad. Although Jennings has yet to play a snap this season, he has logged 106 rushing yards in his career.
Focus Shifts to Drake Maye and the Packers
With the roster thin, the spotlight turns to quarterback Drake Maye. He led the team to a win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Nov. 1. “You wanna be a great quarterback in the National Football League, there’s not a whole lot of excuses,” Vrabel said, according to Yahoo Sports. He added, “You go out there and you find ways to win for your football team. I know that that’s who he is and what he wants to continue to be.”
The next test comes on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 4:25 p.m. ET against the Green Bay Packers. With Micah Parsons set to return to practice this week, the Packers are getting some reinforcement. “It’s going to be a process trying to get him back. We’re hopeful. It’s going to be dependent on the next couple of days, but we’re hopeful it’s going to be sometime this week,” Matt LaFleur said, according to Yahoo Sports. Even if Parsons plays, the Patriots must rely on their own players to make plays. Losing Britt hurts, but Maye has to be the one who steps up.
