While Julian Edelman’s departure from the New England Patriots dominated the headlines on Monday afternoon, he was not the biggest player released by the team that day. That honor belongs to defensive tackle Michael Barnett, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds (compared to Edelman’s 5-foot-10, 200-pound frame).
Barnett had originally joined the Patriots last August to provide depth along the interior defensive line behind Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler. The 23-year-old did participate in his first few practices with the team, but later missed time due to an undisclosed ailment that eventually led to the team to release him with an injury designation.