The New England Patriots have decided not to pick up defensive tackle Alan Branch's contract option, as first reported by NESN.
By cutting Branch, the Patriots incurred $1 million in dead cap space while freeing $3.5 million in cap space.
Branch finished the 2017 season as a scratch for every playoff game, including the Super Bowl when the Patriots lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 41-33. The string of inactive games marked Branch's fallout with the organization just months after he'd signed a two-year, $8.54 million contract. He earned that contract after a productive 2016 season when he managed 49 tackles and 1.5 sacks on the way to the Patriots' win in Super Bowl LI.