As players returned to Gillette Stadium for the start of the voluntary offseason program, an exclusive rights free agent was among them.
Fullback Jack Westover officially signed his one-year tender with the New England Patriots on Tuesday, according to the NFL transaction wire. The non-guaranteed contract carries a $1.075 million value for 2026.
Westover, 26, had been assigned the tender ahead of the new league year as a non-vested veteran with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expiring deal.
That March move was trailed by the addition of former Buffalo Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam on a three-year, $10.8 million pact, while the current depth chart also includes Brock Lampe, who spent last campaign on injured reserve.
Entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks before reaching an injury settlement, Westover headed to Foxborough as a member of the practice squad in the fall of 2024. Two standard elevations and a promotion to the 53-man roster followed by the end of his rookie year. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound former University of Washington tight end went on to outlast the cutdown deadline last summer as a converted fullback.
From there, Westover appeared in every game for the eventual AFC champions while making four starts and catching two passes. He played 317 snaps on offense and 238 snaps on special teams up through Super Bowl LX against his previous club.
New England also received a roster exemption for offensive tackle Lorenz Metz, a futures signing in February, through the NFL’s International Player Pathway on Tuesday.
