Luke Masterson
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The Patriots are bringing in linebacker Luke Masterson for a tryout
The New England Patriots have been very busy over the past few days. While the deadline for the roster to be trimmed down to 53 players was Tuesday, the Pats have made several moves since then. The latest saw them surprisingly release veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, who was in line to be a starter come Week 1.
New England’s decision to cut Peppers has come out of left field, and it’s fair to wonder if there are more moves on the horizon. Further supporting that notion is the fact that the team recently brought linebacker Luke Masterson to town for a tryout, with Peppers’ release indicating that a deal could be imminent.
Luke Masterson Earns Tryout with Patriots
Masterson broke into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. At the time, Josh McDaniels, who is now the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, was the Raiders’ head coach, so he has familiarity with Masterson that likely is helping him in his efforts to get a foot inside the door at 1 Patriot Place.
Despite going undrafted, Masterson immediately earned a role in Las Vegas’ defense as a rookie, racking up 59 tackles, four of which went for a loss, and one quarterback hit while playing in 17 games, seven of which were starts. However, with McDaniels quickly getting canned by the Raiders, Masterson struggled to find playing time under the lead of the new regime.
Ahead of the 2025 campaign, Masterson is still sitting on the open market waiting for his next opportunity. He already took a free agent visit with the Pats earlier this week, but nothing came of it. On Thursday, he earned a tryout with the team, and based on their decision to release Peppers, Masterson may be able to find his way onto New England’s roster.
“After hosting free-agent LB Luke Masterson on a visit Aug. 24, the Patriots had Masterson back in town today for a tryout,” Mike Reiss of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Should the Patriots Sign Luke Masterson After Releasing Jabrill Peppers?
Luke Masterson
GettyThe Patriots are bringing in linebacker Luke Masterson for a tryout
The release of Peppers has a lot of folks scratching their heads, and it feels like this isn’t the only move that the team has lined up. Masterson obviously plays a different position than Peppers, but the team has a roster spot available today that wasn’t available yesterday. Could that be used on Masterson, or does the team have a bigger move in the cards that they are working on now that Peppers is gone?
The Patriots, under new head coach Mike Vrabel, have revamped their linebacker room this offseason, and while Masterson likely wouldn’t earn snaps right away, he could be a solid depth option for the team should someone get hurt. Even when considering Peppers’ release, Masterson would make more sense as a practice squad option for New England, but based on their latest move, it seems like nothing is off the table, making them a team to watch over the next few days.