An offensive lineman from head coach Mike Vrabel’s time in Nashville stopped by Foxborough on Wednesday.
The New England Patriots hosted veteran free agent Xavier Newman-Johnson on a visit, according to the NFL transaction wire.
Newman-Johnson, 27, entered the league with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted rookie in 2022. The Baylor product spent parts of two seasons between the practice squad and active roster in the AFC South before heading to the AFC East during the 2023 campaign. He remained
a member of the New York Jets through a series of transactions until being released from the practice squad earlier in the week.
Now 25 games into his NFL career, Newman-Johnson has seen 338 snaps on offense and 68 snaps on special teams. The 6-foot-2, 297-pound blocker, who finished last year on injured reserve, stands with five starts and one accepted penalty through appearances at left guard, right guard as well as center.
New England closes in on the home opener with interior linemen Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson, Mike Onwenu, Greg Van Roten, Ben Brown and Walter Rouse on the 53-man roster. The 17-man practice squad, which also remains at capacity, includes Jake Kubas and Jacob Rizy in the middle of the trenches.
The defending conference champions host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Kickoff at Gillette Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.
