FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced today that they have signed WR Damaris Johnson and claimed RB Trey Williams off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys. In addition, the Patriots placed DL Trey Flowers on injured reserve.
The Patriots also re-signed WR Austin Hill to the practice squad.
Johnson, 26, is a veteran of three NFL season with Philadelphia (2012-13) and Houston (2014). The 5-foot-8, 175-pounder, went to training camp this past summer with Houston but was released on Sept. 5, 2015. Johnson originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Philadelphia out of Tulsa in 2012. He was released by Philadelphia on Aug. 30, 2014, and was claimed by Houston on Aug. 31, 2014. Johnson has played in 43 games with nine starts and has 52 receptions for 601 yards one touchdown, 23 kickoff returns for 577 yards and 47 punt returns for 445 yards with one touchdown. Last season with Houston, Johnson played in all 16 games with eight starts and finished with 31 receptions for 331 yards and a touchdown, returned six kickoffs for 136 yards and had nine punt returns for 54 yards.
Williams, 22, originally signed with Washington as a rookie free agent out of Texas A&M on May 7, 2015. The 5-foot7, 195-pounder, was released by Washington at the end of training camp and began the season on the Redskins' practice squad. He was signed by Dallas to the 53-man roster and was inactive for four games before being released by the Cowboys on Nov. 30.
Flowers, 22, was selected by the Patriots in the fourth-round (101st overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Arkansas. The 6-foot-2, 265-pounder, has played in one game and has been inactive for ten games. Flowers made his NFL debut in the win vs. the New York Jets on Oct. 25.
Hill, 24, was signed by the Patriots to the practice squad on Oct. 1, 2015 and released on Nov. 10, 2015. He originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Oakland Raiders on May 5, 2015, out of Arizona. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder, was released by the Raiders on May 27 and was signed by the New York Jets on July 28. He was released by the Jets on Aug. 30.
