Elliott Davison re-joined the New England Patriots practice squad on Tuesday, the move reported by Pats Pulpit. To open a spot on the 17-man practice squad, the team released tight end Shane Zylstra.
Elliott Davison re-signed to Patriots practice squad
The Patriots re-signed Elliott Davison to the practice squad on Tuesday, per Pats Pulpit. Davison originally entered the league out of UTSA and spent time on the New Orleans Saints practice squad, signing a futures contract in January as noted by the source.
The Pats Pulpit report also notes Davison logged preseason snaps on defense and special teams before being waived at the roster deadline. This signing brings him back to the Patriots’ practice facilities in Foxborough for another run of practice and special-teams work.
Why the Patriots made the move and Shane Zylstra’s release
The roster change was a direct practice-squad capacity move: the Patriots added Davison and released Shane Zylstra to create room on the 17-man group. Zylstra’s release is a procedural transaction to open the slot and does not imply anything more about future opportunities; practice-squad churn is common as teams adjust preparation personnel.
Practice-squad depth in Foxborough after the move
Davison’s return shifts the group’s balance slightly toward the secondary and special teams. Below is the Patriots’ 17-man practice squad as reported after the signing.
This table reflects the reported 17-man practice squad after the Davison signing. Shane Zylstra was released from the practice squad to open the slot for Davison; his transaction is noted above and is not included among the active 17.
This is a practice-squad signing and does not make Elliott Davison a member of the Patriots’ active 53-man roster unless the team later elevates or signs him to that roster.
What this means for the Steelers game and immediate availability
The Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium next Sunday in the home opener (1 p.m. ET). Adding a safety with recent special-teams and practice-squad experience gives New England extra preparation depth against Pittsburgh’s personnel and returns units.
Practice-squad players can be elevated ahead of games, but until that happens the signing should be viewed primarily as depth for practices, scout-team work and special-teams preparation ahead of the matchup.
Source, verification and time-sensitive note
This update is based on the Pats Pulpit report linked below. Roster transactions can change quickly; verify against the NFL or New England Patriots official transaction log before publishing or making roster-dependent notes.
Source: Pats Pulpit — Patriots re-sign safety Elliott Davison to practice squad, release veteran tight end.
Note: The roster status above is time-sensitive. Confirm the official team transaction log for any updates after this report.
