Patriots add veteran offensive lineman, running back to roster

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Patriots add veteran offensive lineman, running back to roster

Mark Daniels · MassLive

Tue, Dec 23, 2025 ·

3 min read

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FOXBOROUGH – After 10 players suffered injuries in the win over Baltimore , the Patriots made a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday evening.

The Patriots signed veteran offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes to the 53-man roster off the practice squad. He replaces defensive tackle Joshua Farmer , who’s been placed on the injured reserve. The third-round pick suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday.

The Patriots also signed two veterans to their practice squad to add more depth, signing running back Elijah Mitchell and wide receiver Bradnon Smith. The team had one practice squad spot open and created another by releasing tackle Sebastian Gutierrez .

These moves come with the team having three players in the concussion protocol with running back TreVeyon Henderson , receiver Kayshon Boutte , and left guard Jared Wilson .

Seven other players also exited Baltimore with injuries: defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga (foot), Farmer (hamstring), right tackle Morgan Moses (knee), backup tackle Thayer Munford (knee), cornerback Carlton Davis (undisclosed), cornerback Charles Woods (ankle), and receiver DeMario Douglas (hamstring).

The moves made on Tuesday reflect Mike Vrabel’s team adding depth for the final two weeks of the regular season.

A veteran center, Jaimes was elevated from the practice squad to the game-day roster twice this season. That happened both times that Wilson missed games against the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants . With Ben Brown projected to start in place of Wilson at left guard, Jaimes gives the Patriots a veteran backup.

Jaimes came to the Patriots with 258 NFL snaps played at center, with another eight at left guard and eight at right guard. He played in 46 games, making three starts for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021 to 2024.

The Patriots have also added some much-needed depth at running back. With Henderson out, the team has two players on their 53-man roster: Rhamondre Stevenson and D’Ernest Johnson. The team has one running back on the practice squad, Jashaun Corbin . Mitchell adds experience to the group.

The 27-year-old ran for a career-high 963 yards with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021. He’s played in 28 NFL games with 12 starts. He was most recently in Kansas City , where he played in one game this season. Mitchell was released on Dec. 20 and signed with the Patriots three days later.

At receiver, with Boutte and Douglas ailing, the Patriots added Smith to the fold.

The 27-year-old was most recently with the New York Jets . He played in two games this season after making his NFL debut in 2024. Smith also spent time in Dallas and Arizona . He joins John Jiles and Jeremiah Webb as a third receiver on the practice squad.

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