For nearly the entirety of the 2021 NFL Season, the New England Patriots had yet to protect any members of their practice squad from being signed by teams potentially in need of their services.
Entering the final week of the regular season, the Patriots wished to assert that privilege.
According to Tuesday’s NFL transaction wire, New England protected wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson, tight end Matt LaCosse, defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale and safety Sean Davis. Each of the four protected players have served as either standard elevations or COVID-19 Replacements this season.
Since joining the Pats in 2020, Wilkerson has been a mainstay on the team’s practice squad.