Belichick on Ealy: ‘We didn't feel like this was going to work out'

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Bill Belichick felt as though Kony Ealy was getting better, but that improvement wasn't enough to keep Ealy on the roster. 

During a conference call Saturday, Belichick was asked why the team decided to part ways with the fourth-year defensive end, particularly when he told 98.5 The Sports Hub on Friday that he felt Ealy was "definitely on the upswing."

"I do think he was making progress and getting better and really working hard," Belichick said. "I just think it's one of those things that didn't work out or wasn't going to work out.

"Nobody's fault. He worked hard. We worked hard. A lot of effort put in, but in the end, we didn't feel like this was going to work out. It gives him an opportunity about a week ahead of next week to hopefully create a better opportunity for himself. I think he deserved that. He did everything we asked him to do. It just didn't work out for either one of us like we hoped it would."

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Though Ealy had shown flashes as a pass-rusher in recent practices, he was inconsistent in joint practices against the Texans and in last week's preseason game. Against the Lions on Friday, he recorded a quarterback hit but didn't see his first game action until about two minutes into the third quarter. In a game that is typically considered a dress rehearsal for the regular-season opener, for Ealy to be taking the field at that point was somewhat telling for where he stood on the defensive end depth chart. 

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