Patriots tight end Matt LaCosse has decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. LaCosse becomes the fifth player from the 2019 Patriots’ main roster and eighth overall to sit out the season amid COVID-19 concerns.
The tight end joins linebacker Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung, right tackle Marcus Cannon, running back Brandon Bolden, fullback Dan Vitale, offensive lineman Najee Toran, and wide receiver Marqise Lee among the Patriots who have opted out.
LaCosse played in 11 games for the Patriots in 2019, starting eight. He caught 13 of 19 targets for 131 yards and a touchdown. He played the second-most offensive snaps (433) at tight end behind Ben Watson (467).
The Patriots still have five tight ends on their roster as of this writing. But only one of them (Ryan Izzo) played a snap for the Pats in 2019, while the rest are rookies.
Matt LaCosse has decided to opt out of the 2020 season, becoming the eighth Patriot to do so. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Here’s a look at the depth chart:
Ryan Izzo
Devin Asiasi
Dalton Keene
Jake Burt
Rashod Berry
The Patriots selected Asiasi out of UCLA with the 91st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and followed that up with Keene at pick No. 101. They signed Burt out of Boston College and Berry out of Ohio State as undrafted rookies.
According to Adam Schefter, the NFL is expected to move the deadline for players to opt out to August 4 or 5.
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