FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots added two players to the team's practice squad today with the re-signing of wide receiver T.C. Taylor and the signing of guard Russ Hochstein. They fill the positions vacated by the releases of cornerback Brock Williams and offensive lineman Teag Whiting.
Taylor, 24, was signed by the Patriots as a rookie free agent out of Jackson State on April 26, 2002. The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pounder made the transition from quarterback to wide receiver as a junior at Jackson State. In his senior year, he established the school's single-season receiving record with 84 receptions for 1,234 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was released by the Patriots on Sept. 1, 2002 on the team's final roster reduction before the start of the season.
Hochstein, 25, was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL draft out of Nebraska. The 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound offensive lineman was listed among the Buccaneers inactives for every game his rookie season. He spent the early part of this season on the Buccaneers active roster, but was waived on Sept. 30, 2002 and re-signed to their practice squad on Oct. 2. He was released from the practice squad on Oct. 15.
