The New England Patriots’ decision to release linebacker K.J. Britt stands out as one of the more surprising moves that the team has made to narrow their roster down prior to the start of the 2026 NFL season.
Britt had a good preseason, which makes his release a striking one. He played well against against the run, and offered his veteran presence in the second line of defense for New England. He appeared to be suited to cause disruption in the short and intermediate parts of the field and help New England contend for the Super Bowl again in 2026.
Britt’s value was not necessarily tied to splash plays. It came from fitting the run, maintaining leverage and limiting cutback lanes before runners reached the second level.
Nevertheless, the Patriots
replaced Britt with former New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau, who now takes his place as the No. 3 linebacker behind Christian Elliss and Robert Spillane for next season. After what he showed in camp and the preseason, Britt seemed to be deserving of a role on the Patriots’ defense as a key reserve, but the team will move forward in the direction that they’ve gone in for the season, with the opener quickly approaching.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots waiver claim leads to surprising release ahead of Week 1
