Bradyn Swinson was waived by the New England Patriots ahead of the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline, per reporting by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. The report was published as teams finalized active rosters by the league’s cutdown deadline.
The move removes a member of New England’s 2025 draft class from the active roster, per report, and places Swinson on the league’s waiver process. If he is unclaimed, the Patriots could pursue a return to their practice squad, where he previously spent time after the preseason.
Quick facts: Bradyn Swinson’s 2025 profile and Patriots timeline
The following items are reported facts from the Boston Herald piece and related coverage (listed per report):
- Draft status: 2025 fifth-round pick, No. 146 overall (per report).
- Size/age: listed at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds (per report).
- College path: transferred from Oregon to LSU (per report).
- Early roster history: cleared waivers after the rookie preseason and signed to the Patriots’ practice squad at its formation (per report).
- Active roster promotion: earned a promotion in November and finished the season on the active roster before being waived (per report).
Bradyn Swinson by the numbers
Season totals reported for Swinson’s 2025 appearances with New England are shown below. These figures are taken from the source reporting and not independently confirmed by Patriots Report.
Roster context: why this move fits the deadline trimming
The waiver comes amid the Patriots’ final cutdown activity. Per the report, New England trimmed its roster from 91 players to 73 and then to the required 53 by the league deadline. Those rounds of cuts forced choices about which young, developmental pieces to keep on the active roster.
Per the same reporting, the club made additional moves during the cutdown window — including acquiring Corey Kiner via trade and earlier parting with defensive tackle Eric Gregory — that affected the composition of the 53-man group.
What it means for Swinson and Patriots depth
Per report, the immediate outcome is straightforward: Swinson will pass through the waiver process and could be claimed by another team. If he clears waivers, the Patriots are positioned to re-sign him to the practice squad, where he previously spent time.
For New England, the cut reduces edge depth and a special-teams option in the short term. Swinson’s reported snap totals (27 defensive, 31 special teams) represented modest contributions; the team will rely on remaining pass-rushers, practice-squad call-ups and veteran depth to cover those roles.
AFC East context
As Patriots roster construction continues, deadline moves like this are part of the broader AFC East balancing act — preserving immediate depth while keeping developmental players available through the practice squad or waiver process. Division competition and injury risks make those roster-management decisions consequential throughout the season.
Fan reaction and short takeaways
Fans noted the optics of a recently promoted rookie being cut after a late-season elevation and an AFC Championship Game appearance. Many observers pointed out that final 53-man rosters often sacrifice developmental players to secure veterans and special-teams contributors across the full roster.
Key takeaways: this is a deadline-driven roster decision reported by an established beat reporter, described here per report. Swinson’s next step will hinge on waiver claims and the Patriots’ practice-squad strategy.
Source attribution and verification
This update is grounded on reporting per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald and aggregated coverage at PatsPulpit that cited that report. Read the coverage referenced here: Patspulpit.com coverage of the report. The waiver is described in that reporting and remains pending official confirmation via the NFL transaction wire or a team announcement.
What remains unclear and next steps
- Whether Swinson will be claimed on waivers by another club.
- Whether the Patriots intend to re-sign him to the practice squad if he clears.
- How this affects immediate special-teams alignment and short-term depth at edge.
Monitor the NFL transaction wire and official Patriots channels for confirmation and any follow-up roster moves. Patriots Report will update this post if official transactions or team statements are released.
Reporting note: this story is based on the Boston Herald/Pats Pulpit reporting and uses phrasing such as “per report” pending any official transaction notice.
