The International Player Pathway arrival served as the 17th man.
The 17th member of the New England Patriots’ practice squad has been sidelined.
The organization placed tight end Thomas Odukoya on injured reserve to begin the week, with follow-up moves expected after Sunday night’s 28-24 battle of attrition at M&T Bank Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens.
Odukoya, 28, joined the practice squad in Foxborough in October with an exemption through the NFL’s International Player Pathway. The Netherlands native signed with a familiar Tennessee Titans coaching staff as an undrafted free agent back in 2022.
After spending two full seasons on the practice squad in Nashville, Odukoya outlasted the league’s 53-man roster deadline out of training camp in 2024. The 6-foot-6, 253-pound tight end made two appearances from there, seeing 27 snaps on special teams through multiple transactions. Earlier this campaign, however, he cleared waivers in the AFC South shortly after being promoted back from the practice squad.
That set the wheels in motion for a reunion.
“He’s continued to improve, great teammate, practices extremely hard,” past and present head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters in the fall. “He’s improved — was a very good blocker — but has improved just his overall body control and ability to run routes for a wide tight end. It’s not like some receiving tight end, but he knows what his role is. He contributes on special teams, and he’s gotten better. We just weren’t able to get him before.”
Odukoya began his United States football injury at West Hills-Coalinga and Garden City Community College before becoming a team captain and a third-team All-MAC selection at Eastern Michigan. He now joins running back Craig Reynolds and linebacker Darius Harris on the New England practice squad’s injured reserve.
The club restored running back Jashaun Corbin from the list midway through December.
The New York Jets host next Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff at MetLife Stadium.
Category: General Sports
