The Patriots have released linebacker Otis Reese, continuing what looks like a deliberate pruning of the linebacker room heading into the 2026 season. Reese spent parts of last year on New England's practice squad, but apparently didn't do enough in minicamp to stick around as Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf reshape the defense.
This isn't a shocking move. The Patriots' linebacker depth chart is already crowded with Jesse Luketa, Anfernee Jennings, Christian Elliss, Amari Gainer, Chad Muma, Jahlani Tavai, and a handful of others competing for reps. When you've got that many bodies in the mix, the marginal guys—the guys who haven't shown enough in practice or on tape to justify a roster spot—get cut. That's just roster management.
What's interesting is the timing. We're deep into July, close to training camp, and the team is still making these kinds of roster adjustments. That suggests the linebacker group is still unsettled. Maybe they're still looking for answers at the position. Maybe some of these veterans haven't performed the way the coaching staff expected during offseason work. Either way, releasing a practice squad linebacker signals the team isn't worried about thin depth—they're chasing quality over quantity.
For Reese, this is a setback. He got his foot in the door last season but couldn't convert that opportunity into staying power. The practice squad can be a proving ground, but you've got to prove something. He didn't, and now he's looking for work elsewhere.
The Patriots will continue to figure out their linebacker rotation through training camp and the preseason. This release is part of that process. Nothing dramatic. Just the NFL working as it should.