The Patriots obviously liked Javon Baker and the effort he put in to carve out a role in special teams during training camp and the team’s preseason games. He did not show much as a wide receiver, though, and ultimately, after keeping him on the initial day of cut-downs, axed Baker from the 53-man roster.
The hope in New England was that the team could sneak Baker past the other 31 teams and keep him on the practice squad–he was a fourth-round pick in 2024, after all–but that did not quite work out. On Friday, Baker signed on with the Super Bowl-champ Eagles, joining their practice squad according to a report from MassLive’s Mark Daniels.
Wrote Daniels on Twitter/X: “When the Patriots cut Javon Baker, he was told they’d like him back on the practice squad. However, Baker is signing with the Eagles practice squad, per source. That’s the risk you take and now Baker gets a fresh start.”
Jabrill Peppers Aftershocks Still Felt
Losing Baker is another eye-opening transaction for a team that underwent a major convulsion this week, with Baker being much lower on the list of surprises than, say, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and safety Marcus Epps.
But it was the cut of safety Jabrill Peppers that was the most stunning of all. Peppers apparently does not fit with Mike Vrabel’s defense but it is worth noting that he finished last season with a PFF grade of 82.3, which was seventh among the 171 safeties in the NFL. If your defense does not welcome the No. 7-ranked safety in the league, maybe the defense should be altered.
Peppers will surely catch on elsewhere.
The Patriots now have a safety room in which Kyle Dugger, surprisingly, made the team and in which the team will lean on the lightly tested group of Dell Pettus, Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson.
Patriots Practice Squad Update
The Patriots have made their own moves on the practice squad, of course.
Probably the most prominent name in the group is former Packers cornerback Corey Ballentine, who played 29 games and made seven starts for Green Bay in the past two seasons. THe full list, per NFL.com, of Patriots practice players goes:
- RB Terrell Jennings
- WR John Jiles
- WR Jeremiah Webb
- OT Thayer Munford Jr.
- G Mehki Butler
- C Alec Lindstrom
- TE CJ Dippre
- DE Truman Jones
- DT David Olajiga
- DT Jahvaree Ritzie
- DL Cory Durden
- LB Mark Robinson
- LB Bradyn Swinson
- CB Miles Battle
- DB Corey Ballentine
- DB Fabien Lovett Sr.
- DB Kobee Minor
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