The New England Patriots have started filling the openings on their roster.
The first of the two vacant spots went to an interior offensive lineman. Matt Pryor was signed by the team off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad, as first reported by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
Pryor, 31, started his NFL career as a sixth-round draft pick with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The TCU product spent three years with the team, and later also had stints in Indianapolis, San Francisco, Chicago and again
Philadelphia. In March, he signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals, but was released ahead of late-August’s roster cutdowns and added to the club’s practice squad.
The 6-foot-7, 332-pounder has appeared in a combined 111 regular season and playoff games over the course of his career. Primarily playing right guard but also seeing action at left tackle, left guard and right tackle, he has started 41 of those contests.
The Patriots signing Pryor to their 53-man roster and fellow interior offensive lineman Da’Metrius Weatherspoon to the practice squad comes in the aftermath of injuries suffered by starting right guard Mike Onwenu and his replacement, Greg Van Roten. Both were moved to injured reserve over the last two weeks due to respective ankle and thigh ailments.
With Pryor and Weatherspoon added this week, the Patriots now have eight interior O-lineman signed between their roster and practice squad. Heading into this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills, one open spot remains on the 53-man team.
The Patriots and Bills’ Week 4 meeting in Buffalo is scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday.
