FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced that they have signed LB Darius Fleming, OL Caylin Hauptmann and DL Kona Schwenke to the practice squad. Fleming was released by the Patriots on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014.
In addition, the Patriots released DL Cameron Henderson and RB Marcus Thigpen from the practice squad.
Fleming, 25, was signed by New England as a free agent on May 16, 2014. The 6-foot-2, 255-pounder, was originally drafted by San Francisco in the fifth-round (165th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons on injured reserve with a knee injury and was released by the 49ers on May 12, 2014. Fleming was inactive for the season-opener at Miami (9/7).
Hauptmann, 23, originally signed with the Cleveland Browns as a rookie free agent out of Florida International on April 30, 2013. The 6-3, 300-pounder, was released by Cleveland at the end of training camp and was signed to the practice squad. Seattle signed him to the 53-man roster on Sept. 23. Hauptmann was inactive for 10 games and dressed, but did not play in three others and was inactive for all three postseason games. He was released by Seattle on Aug. 30, 2014 and claimed off waivers by Cleveland on Aug. 31, 2014. The Brown released him on Sept. 2, 2014.
Schwenke, 22, originally was signed by Kansas City as a rookie free agent out of Notre Dame on May 19, 2014. The 6-foot-4, 297-pounder, was released by the Chiefs on Aug. 30, 2014 and spent 10 days on the practice squad before being released on Sept. 11, 2014.
Henderson, 24, was signed by New England to the practice squad on Sept. 9, 2014. He originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Atlanta Falcons on April 29, 2013 out of Central Florida. The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder, was released by the Falcons on Aug. 25, 2014 and was signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad on Dec. 4, 2013. He went to training camp this past summer with Cleveland, but was released on Aug. 25, 2014. He played two seasons at Central Florida after beginning his college career at Vavarro College.
Thigpen, 28, was signed by New England to the practice squad on Sept. 3, 2014. He is a veteran of two NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins (2012-13). The 5-9, 200-pounder, originally signed with Philadelphia as a rookie free agent out of Indiana on April 27, 2009. He spent part of the 2009 training camp with Philadelphia and Denver before playing in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2009 through 2011. Thigpen was signed by Miami as a free agent on Jan. 30, 2012. In two NFL seasons, he has played in 32 games and has returned 77 kickoffs for 1,910 yards and one touchdown and returned 60 punts for 580 yards and one touchdown. In addition, he has seven rushing attempts for 26 yards and nine receptions for 112 yards with one touchdown. He was released by Miami on Aug. 30, 2014.
