The Patriots added offensive line depth on Sunday, acquiring Walter Rouse in a trade with the Vikings.
The Patriots traded a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Vikings for Rouse and a 2027 seventh-round selection.
The move came on a busy day for the Patriots, who released 36 players, placed offensive tackle Marcus Bryant on injured reserve, outside linebacker Harold Landry III on the physically unable to perform/reserve list and safety Brenden Schooler on the non-football injury/reserve list.
The team announced they released S Mike Brown, S Eric Butler. G Mehki Butler, OL Jack Conley, CB Brandon Crossley, OL Darrian Dalcourt, WR Nick DeGennaro, CB Marcellas Dial Jr., TE C.J. Dippre, WR Kyle Dixon, WR Cameron Dorner, LB Amari Gainer, DT Eric Gregory, P Matt Haack, RB JaMycal Hasty, LB Xavier Holmes, T James Hudson III, DT Isaiah Iton, RB Lan Larison, LB Jesse Luketa, S Peter Manuma, T Lorenz Metz, OL Joe Michalski, RB Jam Miller, DB Kobee Minor, G JonDarius Morgan, LB Chad Muma, WR Tejhaun Palmer, DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr., OL Jacob Rizy, DT Casey Rogers, S John Saunders Jr., LB Bradyn Swinson, CB Kindle Vildor, TE Jack Westover and LB Riley Wilson on Sunday.
The releases of Eric Butler, Crossley, Dalcourt, DeGennaro, Dial, Dippre, Dixon, Dorner, Gainer, Hasty, Holmes, Luketa, Manuma, Metz, Morgan, Rizy and Wilson had already been reported Saturday.
Bryant, Landry and Schooler can return to action as early as Week 5.
Rouse, 25, entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2024. He’s appeared in eight games since getting drafted and serves as depth until Bryant returns.
Bryant sustained a leg injury during the Patriots’ second preseason game against the Eagles, and has not practiced since. He had been tracking to win the swing tackle job.
The Patriots are carrying 10 offensive linemen on their 53-man roster: Rouse, LT Will Campbell, LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, C Jared Wilson, RG Mike Onwenu, RT Morgan Moses, G/C Ben Brown, OT Caleb Lomu, OT Dametrious Crownover and G/C Greg Van Roten.
Mehki Butler, Conley, Michalski, Iton, Minor, Palmer and Rogers were longshots for the roster.
Schooler, a special-teams captain last season, has missed all of training camp.
Landry initially injured his knee last season. He didn’t participate during spring or summer practices.
Gregory and Vildor were slight surprises. Gregory was claimed off waivers from the Bengals last year at cutdowns and was competing for a sixth spot at defensive tackle. Vildor was a standout in the Patriots’ first two preseason games but struggled in their preseason finale against the Browns.
Larison reportedly was set to make the Patriots’ roster until they acquired Rouse from the Vikings.
Brown was signed as a free agent this summer but lost his spot on the roster to Dell Pettus and Jaylen Reed. Reed was acquired from the Texans in a trade involving wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
Hudson, a veteran, never found his footing with the Patriots. He was even moved to guard at one point during the preseason and struggled in the new role.
Miller was selected in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Alabama. The Patriots acquired Corey Kiner from the Cardinals on Saturday to fill their third running back spot behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.
Muma appeared primed to be the Patriots’ third linebacker earlier this training camp but struggled during the preseason. He was beat out by rookies Khalil Jacobs and Namdi Obiazor and veteran K.J. Britt.
Pharms has been with the Patriots on and off the practice squad since 2022.
Saunders was a training camp standout with five interceptions, but it wasn’t enough to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
Swinson was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He began last season on the Patriots’ practice squad before getting signed to the 53-man roster in November. The LSU product appeared in three regular-season games, making one tackle, and one postseason contest.
Westover spent last season as the Patriots’ fullback but switched back to tight end after the team signed Reggie Gilliam.
The Patriots will begin signing players to their practice squad at noon on Monday.