The Patriots added veteran pass-rush help on Monday, claiming Caleb Murphy off waivers from the Chargers.
Murphy, 25, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Ferris State with the Titans when Mike Vrabel was head coach.
The 6-foot-3, 254-pound outside linebacker appeared in six games with the Chargers this season before being waived. He registered 12 tackles, .5 sack and one QB hit while also being a core special-teams player.
In his career, Murphy has logged 17 tackles. He joins Harold Landry III, K’Lavon Chaisson, Keion White, Elijah Ponder and Anfernee Jennings on the Patriots’ outside linebacker depth chart. Landry, Chaisson, White and Ponder were active in Sunday’s 31-13 win over the Titans with Jennings inactive as a healthy scratch. The Patriots also have outside linebackers Truman Jones and Bradyn Swinson on their practice squad.
Murphy played three games with the Titans under Vrabel in 2023. He was waived by the Titans last October and subsequently signed to the Chargers’ practice squad. He made the Chargers’ 53-man roster out of training camp this summer.
The Patriots had an open spot on their 53-man roster, so no corresponding moves must be made.