FOXBORO — The New England Patriots are headed to the Nevada desert for two days of joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders, culminating with a matchup between the two teams on Friday, Aug. 26 at Allegiant Stadium
They will do so with one less tight end on their positional depth chart.
Facing a deadline to trim their rosters from 85 members to 80 by 4 p.m. TE on Tuesday, Aug. 23, the Pats have further reduced their roster by releasing tight end Dalton Keene.
Keene had been a frequent absentee throughout training camp, and did not suit up for either of New England’s previous preseason matchups. As a result, he had fallen behind fellow reserves Devin Asiasi and Matt Sokol, in his bid to back up starters Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Last Thursday, the Pats signed former Buffalo Bills and Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer.
Keene was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft (101 overall) out of Virginia Tech. Much like his rookie classmate, and fellow tight end Asiasi, Keene underwhelmed in his first season in New England. Though he did miss some time early on in 2020 with a neck injury, the 22-year-old struggled to find comfort in the Pats offense. He appeared in six games during his rookie season, logging three receptions for 16 yards on five targets.
Despite his first-season struggles, the Pats remained hopeful that Keene would be versatile enough to be deployed in-line, in the slot and in the backfield in 2021. The 22-year-old was expected to use his time in camp to work on improving his route running, while also taking some reps at the fullback position. However, Keene was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list prior to the start of training camp. In August, he was moved to injured reserve, after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus injury.
It remains unclear whether Keene’s injury woes stemmed from his recovery from offseason meniscus surgery, or an unrelated issue. However, if he hopes to catch the sharp eye of a new NFL team, he must demonstrate versatility and durability.
If healthy, Keene has the ability to move around the field — allowing him to line up as an H-back, a fullback, or as an option in the slot or the perimeter. As such, he could be an intriguing depth contributor, both as a blocker and as a power runner after the catch. To do so, however, he must remain on the field; a fate which exceedingly eluded him during his time in New England.
The Patriots roster currently stands at 82. On Saturday , the team waived defensive backs Jalen Elliott and Devin Hafford.
More must-reads: