Tyler

Gaffney

The Patriots cut RB Tyler Gaffney to create room for Gant, who has never appeared in an NFL game. However, he’s familiar with New England after signing there two years ago as a UDFA.

The 2014 sixth-rounder spent the past three years pursuing a career in baseball. Gaffney showed some 2018 promise in the Pirates’ farm system, but the pandemic essentially stopped his long-shot bid in its tracks. As for football, Gaffney has never notched a regular season touch. Now on the wrong side of 30, Gaffney has no shot at cracking the Patriots’ 53-man roster.

Despite the impressive size-speed Combine ratio, we were thoroughly unimpressed by Gaffney’s college tape, expecting him to be an undrafted free agent before the Combine started. The measurables may help him jump into the third day of the draft, but Gaffney is not a special running talent by any stretch. He does excel in pass protection like ex-teammate Stepfan Taylor.

Gaffney earned some sleeper buzz after he tested incredibly well at the 2014 Combine, but both of his first two seasons ended with training-camp injuries. Now healthy, he is pushing for a role behind LeGarrette Blount. With Blount proven and Dion Lewis (knee, active/PUP) still on the sidelines, Gaffney should get plenty of work in the first preseason game.

Previous reports had Gaffney pushing LeGarrette Blount, which never made much sense. Gaffney overtaking Bolden is more feasible. Gaffney has been the better performer this preseason with 95 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, though Bolden has always been valued on special teams. The Pats may keep both players if Dion Lewis (ACL) begins the year on reserve/PUP as some are predicting.

It was originally reported Gaffney was waived, but he will stick on the Pats’ injured reserve if he passes through waivers unclaimed. He was reportedly dealing with a foot injury. It is possible he is released with an injury settlement.

Gaffney surprisingly got run with the first-team offense in the third preseason game, but he ended up losing his roster spot to undrafted rookie D.J. Foster. With Gaffney gone, LeGarrette Blount is locked into an early-down role and a sneaky bet to put up RB2 numbers early in the season.

Gaffney had been working toward sewing up a spot, but it’s become clear he hasn’t. A running back who converted to receiver his senior season at Arizona State, Foster returned to the backfield for the Patriots. He’s been limited to five touches this preseason, but should get major run in Thursday’s finale. Foster’s pass-catching prowess works in his favor as the Pats wait on Dion Lewis to return.

The injury didn’t appear severe, but it could contribute to Gaffney losing his roster spot. Pats beat writers seem to believe D.J. Foster has locked up a job behind LeGarrette Blount and James White, and Brandon Bolden is safe due to his special teams experience. Dion Lewis will open the season on PUP.

We won’t find out for sure until this weekend, and even after that it’s possible Gaffney could be cut for a waiver claim. “I could also see a scenario where Gaffney makes the initial 53 but Pats like someone better on the waiver wire and make a midweek change,” wrote Howe. Gaffney worked with the first-team offense in the regular season dress rehearsal, but his skills are somewhat redundant with LeGarrette Blount’s. Howe seems to think Gaffney is the 52nd or 53rd player on the Patriots’ roster.