Patriots players Bill Belichick cut before or midway through a NFL season
The NFL world is abuzz with Stephon Gilmore recently being traded from the Patriots to the Panthers for a sixth-round draft pick in 2023. The four-time Pro-Bowl cornerback wanted the money that his talent deserved and refused to restructure his deal. Sadly for the New England Patriots, they just did not have the cap space.
Statement from Coach Bill Belichick on Stephon Gilmore. https://t.co/X7CR54NCwf
However, if Gilmore had not been traded, he was scheduled to be released. This is not surprising because mid-season cuts have often been the norm with the Patriots under Bill Belichick.
Here's a look at some of the most notable mid-season sackings by the Patriots of all time.
Notable Patriots players cut before or at mid-season by Bill Belichick
#1 - Randy Moss
Randy Moss was cut after Week 4 of the 2010 season. He felt unwanted in New England when a new contract offer did not materialize. He played well in the first week and increased his trade value in the second and third weeks as he scored three touchdowns in both games combined. That included a one-handed catch in Week 2 for a 34 yard touchdown.
In Week 4, he missed a catch that would have led to a touchdown and finished without a single reception in a game for the first and last time in his Patriots career. He went on to sign for the Minnesota Vikings two days after the game.
#2 - Deion Branch
Deion Branch went on strike against his employers in 2006 after he believed that the New England Patriots were not negotiating in good faith and were not accepting legitimitate offers from other teams.
He sat out the entire pre-season and then went on to miss the first week of the season as well, for which he was fined. He finally got his wish after the first week when he moved to the Seattle Seahawks.
#3 - Jamie Collins
Jamie Collins may soon be returning to the New England Patriots for his third stint, but his first stint did not end so well. Despite being a starter, he was cut after Week 6 of the 2016 NFL season after injuring his hip. Before Week 7, he had already been traded to the Cleveland Browns.
Jamie Collins will fly into New England tomorrow to meet with Bill Belichick before signing with the #Pats, per sources. The 31-year-old LB won a ring in NE and maintains a strong working relationship with Belichick.
#4 - Stephon Gilmore
Although Gilmore was traded to the Carolina Panthers today and not cut, he still makes the list because he was slated to be cut by 4:00 p.m. today if the Patriots were not interested in offers from other teams.
The New England Patriots wanted him to restructure his contract but he was having none of it. Unlike the others on this list, he was on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list stemming from a quad injury last season, so he did not participate in any games this season. His next game will be with the Carolina Panthers whenever he is deemed healthy to play.