Patriots Made Surprising Move After Cutting Ties With Top Defender
The New England Patriots made waves on defense this weekend by signing Pro Bowl pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue and parting ways with one of their top tacklers. To accommodate Ngakoue’s addition, the team released linebacker Raekwon McMillan, creating space on the roster.
McMillan had an up-and-down run in New England, missing both the 2021 and 2023 seasons due to injury. He started the 2024 season as a rotation player. But after an injury to Ja’Whaun Bentley, McMillan saw his playing time go up, playing a season-high 53 snaps in Week 3. McMillan logged 31 tackles between Week 2 and Week 5.
Meanwhile, the Patriots’ acquisition of Ngakoue off of waivers represents a roll of the dice on a player who has a long history as a productive pass rusher.
Ngakoue has notched double-digit sacks twice in his career and made the Pro Bowl with the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2017 season. He’s bounced around the NFL in recent years, playing for five teams since leaving Jacksonville in free agency in 2020.Ngakoue played a small role with the Ravens this season, appearing in five games and notching 1.5 sacks.
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