FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots made a series of roster moves today to reach the NFL roster limit of 75 players.
The team released veterans, DL Tim Bulman, WR Jabar Gaffney WR Donte' Stallworth, DB Ross Ventrone and DL Gerard Warren .
Defensive back Will Allen, S Josh Barrett and FB Spencer Larsen were placed on injured reserve.
Tight end Jake Ballard and DL Myron Pryor were placed on the Reserve/Physical Unable to Perform list. Rookie free agent OL Markus Zusevics was placed on the Reserve/Non Football Injury List.
In addition, the Patriots claimed first-year WR Kerry Taylor.
Taylor, 23, was claimed off waivers and awarded to the patriots from Minnesota. He spent a week on the New England practice squad last season in September. The 6-foot, 196-pounder was originally signed by Green Bay as a rookie free agent on July 28, 2011 out of Arizona State. He was released by Green Bay on Sept. 3, 2011. In addition to spending time on the Patriots' practice squad, Taylor also spent time on the practice squads of San Francisco and Minnesota last year. He was released by Minnesota on Aug. 25, 2012.
VETERANS RELEASED
Bulman, 29, was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on July 25, 2012. He is a veteran of seven NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2005) and Houston Texans (2006-11). The 6-foot-4, 281-pound defensive lineman originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Cardinals out of Boston College in 2005. He spent the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad before being signed to the 53-man roster in early November and played in eight games. Bulman was released by Arizona following training camp in 2006 and spent that season and 2007 seasons rotating between the Houston practice squad and 53-man roster. His first full season in the NFL on the 53-man roster was in 2008. A native of Milton, Mass., and a Boston College High School graduate, Bulman has played in 49 NFL games with two starts and registered 57 total tackles and 4.0 sacks.
Gaffney, 31, is a veteran of 10 NFL seasons with Houston (2002-05), the Patriots (2006-08), Denver (2009-10) and Washington (2011). The 6-foot-2-inch, 200-pound wide receiver re-signed with the Patriots on May 7, 2012. Gaffney spent three seasons with the Patriots (2006-08) and played in 43 games with 20 starts and caught 84 passes for 1,059 yards and 8 touchdowns. He has played in 155 career games with 103 starts and has caught 443 passes for 5,622 yards and 24 touchdowns. Gaffney was released by Washington on May 1, 2012. Gaffney originally entered the NFL as a second round draft choice by Houston (33rd overall) out of Florida in 2002.
Stallworth, 31, is a veteran of nine NFL seasons with New Orleans (2002-05), Philadelphia (2006), New England (2007), Cleveland (2008), Baltimore (2010) and Washington (2011). He re-signed with the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent from Washington on March 23, 2012. The 6-foot, 200-pounder spent the 2007 season with New England after joining the team as an unrestricted free agent from Philadelphia and played in 16 games with nine starts, finishing the year with 46 receptions for 697 yards and three touchdowns. Stallworth originally entered the NFL as a first round draft pick (13th overall) by New Orleans in 2002 out of Tennessee. He has played in 114 games with 59 starts and has registered 320 receptions for 4,774 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Ventrone, 25, spent the last two seasons with the New England organization after originally joining the team as a rookie free agent out of Villanova on April 29, 2010. The 5-foot-8, 195-pounder spent the majority of his the 2010 season on the practice squad and then rotated between the practice squad and the 53-man roster for most of last season. He played in eight games and finished with one tackle and two special teams tackles.
Warren, 34, is a veteran of 11 NFL seasons, including the 2010 and 2011 seasons with the New England Patriots. The 6-foot-4, 330- pounder originally joined the Patriots as a free agent on April 24, 2010. He played in 28 games with 10 starts during his two seasons with the Patriots and finished with 52 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and one fumble recovery. Warren also played in four postseason games with one start and added eight total tackles. Warren entered the NFL as a first round draft pick (3rd overall) by Cleveland in 2001 out of Florida. He has played with Cleveland (2001-04), Denver (2005-06), Oakland (2007-09) and the Patriots. In 163 total NFL games, he has registered 467 total tackles, 36.5 sacks, 18 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
PLAYERS PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE
Allen, 34, is a veteran of 11 NFL seasons with the New York Giants (2001-05) and Miami Dolphins (2006-11). The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder joined New England as an unrestricted free agent from Miami on March 21, 2012. He originally entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick (22nd overall) of the Giants out of Syracuse in 2001. Allen joined Miami as an unrestricted free agent from the Giants on March 20, 2006. He has played in 140 games with 130 starts and has 528 total tackles, 5.0 sacks, 15 interceptions, 117 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries.
Barrett, 27, is a veteran of four NFL seasons, including the 2010 and 2011 seasons with New England. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder was claimed off waivers and awarded to the Patriots from Denver on Aug. 6, 2010. He missed the entire 2010 season due to a shoulder injury. Last season, Barrett appeared in five games with four starts while making 14 tackles and three stops on special teams. He was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 9 with a calf injury. He originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick (220nd overall) out of Arizona State by Denver in 2008. After beginning the year on the practice squad, he was signed to the 53-man roster in late November and played in six games with three starts. Barrett has played in 25 games with seven starts during his four seasons and has 39 total tackles and one interception.
Larsen, 28, is a veteran of four NFL seasons with Denver (2008-11). The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder was signed by New England as an unrestricted free agent from Denver on March 30, 2012. He originally entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick (183rd overall) by Denver out of Arizona in 2008. Larsen has played in 50 games with 15 starts and has 17 rushing attempts for 62 yards and caught 14 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. He has also played on defense as a linebacker and has registered 15 total tackles.
