The Patriots reportedly added former Bills offensive lineman Da’Metrius Weatherspoon to their practice squad before their Week 4 AFC East opener against Buffalo. The move gives New England another developmental option as it manages uncertainty along the offensive line.
According to a report from Pats Pulpit, the Patriots signed Weatherspoon after releasing rookie linebacker Riley Wilson, returning the practice squad to its 17-player limit. The signing does not mean Weatherspoon is set to play Sunday; the team has not announced an elevation to the active roster.
The report also noted that head coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday the Patriots had not yet filled two open spots on their active roster. Those openings are separate from the practice-squad transaction: adding Weatherspoon brought the scout team back to capacity but did not, by itself, fill an active-roster spot.
Da’Metrius Weatherspoon Joins the Patriots Practice Squad
Pats Pulpit reported that New England signed Weatherspoon ahead of its trip to Highmark Stadium. The report said the transaction followed Wilson’s release from the practice squad one day earlier, opening a spot for an offensive lineman.
A practice-squad signing adds a player for developmental work and practice preparation, but it does not automatically put him on the game-day roster. Weatherspoon would need an elevation or another roster move before he could be available to play against Buffalo.
The report describes the practice squad as a 17-man group and says the signing returned it to its limit. That makes the immediate roster effect clear: Wilson’s departure created room, and Weatherspoon took that spot. It does not establish that the Patriots intend to make a further move involving him before kickoff.
The Patriots are scheduled to open against the Bills at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Highmark Stadium, according to the report. Kickoff details and player availability should be checked against official updates before publication, as information may change.
Weatherspoon’s Background With Buffalo and Syracuse
Weatherspoon entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills in May, according to Pats Pulpit. Buffalo waived him at the 53-man roster deadline in August. The report lists him at 23 years old, 6-foot-6 and 319 pounds.
The report says Weatherspoon played 67 preseason snaps for Buffalo, at both left and right tackle. That is his reported preseason experience; it does not establish a role with the Patriots.
Those preseason snaps provide a limited point of reference for his recent football work at the professional level. They came with Buffalo during his rookie preseason, however, and should not be treated as evidence of how quickly he might adapt to New England’s system or whether he is ready for a game-day assignment.
Weatherspoon began his college career at Howard before transferring to Syracuse. As described in the report, he made 25 appearances and 22 starts across the offensive line at Syracuse, including time at left tackle, right tackle and left guard.
Pats Pulpit notes that Weatherspoon earned HBCU All-American honors in 2023 while at Howard. The report places his Syracuse seasons in 2024 and 2025, where his appearances and starts came at multiple spots along the line. That background shows experience across several positions, although it does not indicate which position New England may ask him to work at in practice.
Pats Pulpit also cited Pro Football Focus figures from Weatherspoon’s redshirt senior season: four sacks allowed, one quarterback hit and three penalties across 817 offensive snaps. Those figures are attributed to Pro Football Focus through the report and have not been independently verified here.
Why New England Is Adding Offensive-Line Depth
The Pats Pulpit report connected the signing to recent injuries along New England’s offensive line. It said right guard Mike Onwenu was placed on injured reserve after breaking an ankle against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The report also said Greg Van Roten was placed on injured reserve after a thigh injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It did not provide a specific recovery timeline.
Van Roten had been brought in as Onwenu’s replacement, according to the report, making his subsequent move to injured reserve another development affecting the position group. The article does not say who will take over that assignment next or provide a full account of the available alternatives.
At right tackle, the report said Morgan Moses did not finish New England’s 35-6 loss at EverBank Stadium after being limited by a foot injury. The Patriots have not announced that Weatherspoon will replace Moses or another injured lineman.
The source places the signing against a difficult stretch for the offensive line: Onwenu was lost after the Pittsburgh game, Van Roten after the Jacksonville game, and Moses did not finish the latter contest. Those details explain why adding a player with experience at tackle and guard could be useful as a practice option. They do not establish the severity or expected duration of any injury beyond the information reported.
Those reported circumstances provide context for adding an offensive lineman to the practice squad. The move gives New England another player to work with while it evaluates its options, but it does not confirm a change to the depth chart or a specific game-day role for Weatherspoon.
What the Practice-Squad Move Means Before the Bills Game
For now, the signing gives the Patriots another developmental offensive-line option ahead of the AFC East opener. Practice-squad status does not guarantee an active-roster elevation, and there is no reported indication that Weatherspoon has been promised a game-day role.
Whether the move has an immediate effect will depend on New England’s roster decisions and the availability of its other offensive linemen. The report does not establish that Weatherspoon will play, start or dress against Buffalo.
The distinction matters because New England’s active roster and practice squad are separate parts of its roster picture. The source says two active-roster spots remained open as of Wednesday, while Weatherspoon’s signing filled the practice squad’s available place. Nothing in the report says that the Patriots have decided to use an active-roster opening on him.
For fans, the measured takeaway is that the Patriots have added a player with reported college and preseason experience at multiple offensive-line positions while working through injury-related uncertainty. His role with New England remains undetermined.
The signing, background and injury details in this article are based on the Pats Pulpit report and have not been independently confirmed here by an official Patriots or NFL source. Check official team or league updates for transaction confirmation, injury designations and any changes before kickoff.
