Mike Vrabel made it clear from the start of his tenure as the New England Patriots’ new head coach:
Roster spots would be earned, not given.
Nowhere was that more clear than at linebacker.
The Patriots kept undrafted Elijah Ponder out of Cal Poly, and they cut this year’s fifth-round pick, Bradyn Swinson out of LSU.
MORE: Brock Purdy is going to win MVP for the wildest Marquez Valdes-Scantling reason
ESPN’s Mike Clay broke this decision down further in a new article out Sunday:
How undrafted Elijah Ponder made the Patriots’ roster
Ponder did everything right during camp, including playing a key role on special teams.
“(Ponder) was one of the surprise stories of training camp, earning a roster spot by flashing as an edge player on defense and as a special teams player that includes a role on the punt-protection unit,” Clay writes.
Ponder signed for $115,000 in guarantees with the Patriots after the draft, the fifth-highest total among New England’s UDFAs, per Clay.
“He believed New England was a place he would get a fair shot to make the team, which was his top priority,” Clay writes.
MORE: Devin Hester Jr. is great at returns, but he isn’t the Bears’ Hall of Famer’s son
Why Patriots cut 5th-round pick Bradyn Swinson
Swinson was essentially leapfrogged by Ponder on the roster.
“Vrabel wasn’t kidding when he preached to players that it didn’t matter how they arrived and all roles would have to be earned,” Clay writes.
Swinson was one of only two fifth-round picks this year to be cut. He went 146th, and No. 172 pick Chris Paul Jr. of the Rams was also cut.
No one claimed Swinson off waivers, and he’s now back on the Pats’ practice squad.
MORE NFL NEWS:
