The New England Patriots had an open roster spot this week after releasing undrafted free agent defensive tackle Travis Shaw over the weekend. With a few days remaining until the start of training camp, they've filled that absence quickly.
ESPN's Mike Reiss reported that the Patriots are signing defensive tackle Isaiah Iton to a one-year contract, later confirmed to Patriots On SI. Iton, who was with New England last summer for a pair of preseason games, is fully healthy after a lower-body injury ended his season prematurely.
The defensive tackle originally arrived as a rookie minicamp tryout player for the Patriots last spring. The former Tennessee Titans UDFA ended up earning a spot on the 90-man roster and stuck around for training camp. Iton, 24, flashed in practices as a depth option on defense.
In the two games he played against the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings , the 6-foot-2, 277-pound Iton looked good in his role and was trending upwards. He had played 44 total snaps (42 on defense, two on special teams), finishing with three tackles, including one for loss.
Against Minnesota, however, Iton suffered a hip injury and was subsequently placed on season-ending injured reserve.
The team declined to pick up his exclusive rights free agent tag this offseason, letting him the open market as he recovered. Now, as Reiss reports, Iton is fully healthy and will now compete for a spot along New England's talented defensive line.
Jun 9, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Isaiah Iton (68) walks to the practice fields at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Iton is undoubtly excited to return to New England, writing "bout time" on his Instagram story.
Over the weekend, the team parted ways with Shaw, which felt like a vote of confidence in the current room of defensive tackles. The top three in that group ( Milton Williams , Christian Barmore , Cory Durden ) all played well in 2025, and appear in line for a similar/larger role this fall.
The group that trails them on the depth chart is now all bunched together . Joshua Farmer and Eric Gregory are entering their second seasons in the NFL, while Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (veteran) and David Blay Jr. (undrafted rookie) are on both ends of the tenure spectrum. Leonard Taylor III , a postseason hero from a year ago, is looking like he could be the fourth defensive tackle to crack the 53-man roster after a productive spring.
So how does Iton fit into this group, and does he realistically have a shot to make the team?
Well, the Rutgers alum certainly has experience in an NFL defense. He spent time with the Titans in 2024 before arriving in New England and flashing. On paper, you'd like Iton to match what he did in 2025 and try and turn it into a rotational job on the roster. Whether it's on defense or special teams, Iton can get another chance to finish what he started a year ago.
This move signals that the Patriots were at least a little bit impressed with Iton's output last summer, and waited for him to get healthy before bringing him back. He, along with the rest of his teammates, will kick off training camp on July 24 from Gillette Stadium.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots Fill Training Camp Roster, Sign Familiar DT to 1-Year Deal .
