Patriots Make Free Agent Signings Official
BOSTON (CBS) -- Since free agency began in mid-March, we heard about several free-agent signings made by the Patriots. We just didn't hear that news coming from the Patriots themselves.
That changed on Thursday, when the Patriots officially announced all of their free-agent signings.
The players announced as Patriots are:
DL Beau Allen
WR Damiere Byrd
LB Brandon Copeland
DB Cody Davis
QB Brian Hoyer
WR Marqise Lee
DB Adrian Phillips
FB Dan Vitale
All of the signings had been reported over the previous six weeks, but the official word has now come.
Vitale, who has four years of NFL experience, figures to be able to fill the spot left vacant when James Develin announced his retirement earlier this week.
Hoyer is now in his third stint with the Patriots. He originally signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2009 and stayed with the team through training camp in 2012. He returned in 2017, after the team traded Jimmy Garoppolo, but lost the backup job to Jarrett Stidham in the summer of 2019.
The Patriots made 10 selections in the draft and reportedly signed 16 undrafted free agents, so it figures to be a competitive summer in Foxboro if and when training camp opens.
