The New England Patriots will have playoff call-ups on hand against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The organization elevated wide receiver Jeremiah Webb and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III from the practice squad on the eve of Sunday’s wild card at Gillette Stadium.
Webb, 24, agreed to terms with Patriots as a rookie free agent following the 2025 NFL draft. After being waived at the 53-man roster deadline, the 5-foot-11, 198-pound wideout signed to the practice squad at its formation in August. In between
transactions, he caught six passes for 80 yards and his first career touchdown in the preseason, while also breaking off a 59-yard kickoff return and 22-yard punt return. Beginning his long journey to the league as a redshirt at South Dakota in 2019, Webb finished at South Alabama and logged 36 receptions for 649 yards and five scores in 2024.
Taylor, 23, arrived in Foxborough in October and went on to serve as a three-time elevation by the end of the regular season. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman has seen 52 defensive snaps during his stay with the AFC East champions, recording eight tackles and one quarterback hit. Entering the NFL with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Miami in 2024, Taylor stands with 35 tackles and 1.5 sacks through 19 career appearances. He has added a two batted passes and five stops for loss along the way.
New England turned to 13 different players as standard elevations from September’s opener through January’s finale. With a debut ahead, that tally now checks in at 14.
“Yeah, those guys work extremely hard,” head coach Mike Vrabel said Friday of the contributions from the practice squad. “They come in, and we try to create these practices and situations on Thursday where they can go and practice, they can play and they can be evaluated, and then once we feel like they can help us, then we make sure that they know the information. We’ve seen Leonard Taylor go out there, make contributions and play. And so, I’m always in favor of that when guys earn it, that they get what they earn, and then when they get opportunities that they take advantage of them, and then they earn more opportunity.”
The Patriots ruled out nose tackle Khyiris Tonga on the final injury report of the week. Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, offensive tackle Thayer Munford Jr. and outside linebacker Harold Landry III move forward with questionable game statuses.
Sunday’s kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET.
