Pats place TE Izzo on IR
Asiasi added to roster
The Patriots placed veteran tight end Ryan Izzo on injured reserve Thursday and activated rookie tight end Devin Asiasi off IR to their 53-man roster.
Prior to Thursday night’s game at the Rams, Asiasi hadn’t played since the team’s home loss to the Broncos in Week 6. He was one of two Pats tight ends available in Los Angeles, along with fellow rookie Dalton Keene. Neither player has seen more than 10% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps this season.
Asiasi entered kickoff still without a single catch in the NFL.
Izzo led all Patriots tight ends with 13 receptions and 199 receiving yards through their first 12 games. He will now miss the team’s next games, after sitting out Thursday night. He can only return for the Pats’ season finale against the Jets. Izzo has been dealing with neck, hand and hamstring injuries.
Prior to Thursday’s game, he had logged 80% of the Pats’ offensive snaps, often as their only healthy tight end. The offense relied on him primarily as a run blocker.
The Patriots also announced veteran wideout Julian Edelman has been removed from their COVID19 reserve list, though he remains on injured reserve. Edelman can practice at anytime, and once he does, he will be designated to return from IR. Then, the Pats will have 21 days to add him back to the active roster.
No inactive surprises
The Patriots produced the same inactives list Thursday
night as they did last Sunday against the Chargers, with the exception of defensive end Tashawn Bower being active.
Quarterback Brian Hoyer, running back J.J. Taylor, tight end Jordan Thomas, defensive lineman Isaiah Mack and safety Terrence Brooks were all ruled out. Brooks remained in New England as the team flew to Los Angeles last week.
Cornerbacks J.C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones both played despite suffering new injuries in recent weeks.
Pats release LB Cichy
The Patriots released line
backer Jack Cichy on Thursday afternoon, after claiming him off waivers from Tampa Bay last week.
Cichy never occupied a roster spot, having been given a roster exemption as he followed the league’s new COVID-19 protocols before onboarding in Foxboro. The third-year linebacker contributed primarily on special teams for the Bucs, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. Cichy has only played seven defensive snaps in the NFL, but hundreds on special teams.
He’s also been notoriously injury prone dating back to college, having ended each of his last four .” seasons with serious injuries, including two torn ACLs and a torn pectoral muscle. As a prospect out of Wisconsin, Cichy was considered a hardnosed edge rusher who could contribute on special teams.
McCourty nominated for Man of Year
The Patriots selected safety Devin McCourty as their team nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award on Thursday, one of the league’s most prestigious honors.
The award is presented annually to a player who makes an out sized impact through community service and displays excellence on the field. McCourty has long been an advocate for social justice and bridging the economic divide in education. He has helped pass several bills through the Massachusetts legislature, including the Student Opportunity Act and “An Act Relative to Criminal Justice Reform.”
At the start of the COVID19 pandemic in March, McCourty and his twin brother and teammate, Jason, bought $90,000 worth of Chromebooks for students who did not have access to computers at home. They later donated $50,000 to provide technology for underprivileged high school students. He also participated in roundtable discussions this year with teammates and other NFL players about racism, while working with nonprofit organizations that strive to steer gang-involved youth from incarceration toward educational advancement and employment opportunities.
“We are proud of Devin’s accomplishments on the field as a New England Patriot, but even more so of his character and his contributions in the community,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said via a team statement. “He has been a team leader since he first joined our team in 2010 and his hard work has helped us win three Super Bowl titles and 10 division titles. But his impact in New England extends beyond the football field, volunteering countless hours to help our communi-ty Said McCourty: “It is a great honor to be nominated for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. I recognize the opportunity that I have to use my platform to help make an impact in the community. I appreciate being nominated for this award because of the man that Walter Payton was and the legacy that he has left behind. Walter Payton embodied the spirit of community engagement. “I am humbled to represent his legacy with this nomination, but it is even more important to continue the work and try to make a difference.”