The New England Patriots have retained 11 members of the final practice squad heading into the offseason.
The reigning AFC champions signed wide receivers Jeremiah Webb and John Jiles, tight end Marshall Lang, offensive tackle Lorenz Metz, guards Mehki Butler and Andrew Rupcich, defensive tackles Leonard Taylor III and Jeremiah Pharms Jr., linebackers Amari Gainer and Otis Reese, as well as safety John Saunders Jr. to futures contracts.
The 2026 pacts were announced on Tuesday as players reported back
to Gillette Stadium for the last team meeting.
Webb, 24, entered the NFL as part of the Patriots’ 2025 undrafted class. After being waived at the 53-man roster deadline last August, the 5-foot-11, 198-pound rookie wideout by way of South Dakota and South Alabama joined the practice squad at its formation. Webb, who caught six passes for 80 yards and one touchdown in the preseason while also working as a returner, was an inactive standard elevation for January’s wild card versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jiles, 25, headed to Gillette Stadium in the fall of 2024 after originally signing with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent out of Fort Scott Community College, Virginia Union and West Florida. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound receiver spent the bulk of his rookie campaign on New England’s practice squad en route to a futures contract. He returned in that capacity for all of 2025 following a preseason spanning nine catches for 98 yards.
Lang, 24, visited New England for a workout in September before signing to the practice squad in October and re-signing in December. The 6-foot-4, 254-pound tight end initially entered the league with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted rookie out of Northwestern in 2025. He made a subsequent stop with the eventual Super Bowl LX champions in between Patriots transactions.
Metz, 26, signed to the practice squad at Gillette Stadium ahead of January’s divisional round. The 6-foot-9, 330-pound offensive tackle did so with an exemption through the NFL’s International Player Pathway. Born in Bavaria, Germany, Metz played collegiately at Cincinnati and went undrafted 2023. Following stints with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, he logged 2024 and 2025 on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad.
Butler, 24, rejoined the Patriots’ practice squad in December after beginning the regular season in the fold. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound guard originally agreed to terms in May after participating in rookie minicamp on a tryout. A former NJCAA first-team All-America selection at Iowa Western Community College, Butler finished his collegiate run at Arkansas State. He played 52 offensive snaps during his first NFL preseason.
Rupcich, 26, signed on with a familiar coaching staff at the end of September. The 6-foot-6, 325-pound product of Culver-Stockton, an NAIA school, had joined the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He remained in Nashville until being released from the practice squad days before heading to Foxborough. Rupcich has appeared in 12 games, including two starts, during his time in the league.
Taylor, 23, was a seven-time elevation after arriving on the practice squad in October. Reaching the NFL call-up limit by the finale of the regular season, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive tackle went on to have a hand throughout the playoff run and blocked a field goal in the AFC Championship Game. His stay has spanned 104 snaps on defense and 17 snaps on special teams. Beginning his career with the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie in 2024, the Miami Hurricanes product has recorded 36 tackles and 1.5 sacks through 23 career contests.
Pharms, 29, re-signed to the practice squad in January after being waived for the second time since outlasting August’s 53-man roster deadline. The 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive tackle stands 31 games and a handful of starts into his Patriots stay. Pharms has totaled 45 tackles, two sacks and one fumble recovery. Undrafted in 2020 via Sacramento City College, San Joaquin Delta College and Friends University, he made stops with the Champions Indoor Football League’s Wichita Force and USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers before entering the NFL ranks in 2022.
Gainer, 25, landed with the Patriots’ practice squad in December. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker originally entered the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and cleared waivers last summer. Gainer appeared in all 17 games during his rookie season in the AFC West. Seeing 380 snaps on special teams as well as 12 snaps on defense, the Florida State and North Carolina product was credited with five tackles.
Reese, 27, joined New England’s practice squad in November and remained through the run to Santa Clara. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker out of Georgia and Ole Miss had entered the NFL with head coach Mike Vrabel’s former Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He appeared in 20 games over that span, starting a handful, and notched one tackle for loss and one interception before beginning 2025 on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad.
Saunders, 24, agreed to remain with the Patriots as a member of the practice squad after clearing waivers in November. The former Miami Redhawks and Ole Miss Rebels safety had been added to the 53-man roster off the practice squad of the Miami Dolphins in October. From there, he was active for one game yet did not record a snap. Undrafted in 2025, the 6-foot-2, 211-pound Saunders notched one interception during his rookie preseason.
With 11 re-upped ahead of the new league year, that leaves running D’Ernest Johnson, wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr., center Brenden Jaimes, linebacker Patrick Johnson, cornerback Miles Battle and safety Richie Grant still unsigned from New England’s final practice squad.
The organization also finished the campaign with running back Craig Reynolds, tight end Thomas Odukoya and linebacker Darius Harris on the practice squad’s injured reserve.
