New England Patriots reportedly releasing two veteran defenders
The New England Patriots made some significant moves on Monday afternoon. And that included releasing two veteran defenders. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Patriots have released veteran defensive lineman Lawrence Guy along with veteran safety Adrian Phillips. Guy leaves New England after seven seasons, while Phillips departs after four seasons. Guy took a […]
The New England Patriots made some significant moves on Monday afternoon. And that included releasing two veteran defenders.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Patriots have released veteran defensive lineman Lawrence Guy along with veteran safety Adrian Phillips.
Guy leaves New England after seven seasons, while Phillips departs after four seasons.
Guy took a moment to thank New England after the news was released.
"Thank you New England you welcomed my family and I for the past seven years and always made us feel at home, the community we build the people we met and the communities we impacted thank you for always welcoming us with open arms. I'm excited to see where this journey takes me," he wrote on X.
Across his seven years with the Patriots, Guy started 103 out of 110 games played. Last season, Guy made 12 starts, finishing with 38 tackles and one pass breakup.
He signed with the Patriots as a free agent in 2017 after spending time with the Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Chargers, and Baltimore Ravens. He started on a four-year deal, but was re-signed to another four-year deal in 2021.
Guy's efforts off the field also deserve to be commended, with the defensive lineman having started the Lawrence Guy Family Foundation. In 2022, he was the Patriots nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award
Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Daniel Ekuale, Jeremiah Pharms, and Trysten Hill are the remaining defensive lineman on the roster at the moment.
As for Phillips, he joined the Patriots in 2020. However, during the 2023 seasons, he only played 12% of the defensive snaps, instead spending the majority of the time on special teams.
By releasing Phillips, the Patriots save $3 million against the cap and put $1.18 million in dead cap on their books. As for Guy, the team also cleared around $3 million.
