New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots continued a long summer of roster maneuvering by announcing a cut.
On Thursday, the Patriots released Wilfried Pene. The defensive tackle signed as an undrafted free agent in May.
Pene registered 33 tackles (six for a loss) and 3.5 sacks during his senior year at Virginia Tech. He appeared in 47 games over four seasons with the Hokies before participating in New England’s offseason team activities and mandatory minicamp.
The Patriots used the NFL’s International Pathway Program to sign Pene, who was born in Tours, France, without using a roster spot. As a result, Thursday’s move doesn’t clear any space on their full 90-man roster.
New England used its last available spot, vacated by Wes Schweitzer’s retirement, to sign offensive tackle Yasir Durant on Tuesday. The 27-year-old, who was previously a member of the Patriots in 2021, won a UFL championship with the DC Defenders earlier this month.
Along with the rest of the league, the Patriots are on break before commencing training camp. Rookies will report on July 19, while veterans arrive on July 22 before their first practice on July 23.
All NFL teams must narrow their rosters down to 53 players by Aug 23. The Patriots kick off their 2025 regular season against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7.
