Patriots add two linebackers to practice squad, including local signing

To start their bye week, the New England Patriots shuffled the personnel on their practice squad. The team added two players before breaking for the week, in linebackers Anthony Parker Jr. and Truman Jones.

Parker Jr.'s signing was announced on Monday. The 24-year-old entered the NFL his spring as a UDFA out of Appalachian State. He spent the spring and summer with the Jacksonville Jaguars before being released as a part of final roster cuts.

Jones, 24, was signed prior to practice on Tuesday. The Patriots have some experience with Jones - he was on the team led by the Patriots' coaching staff at the 2023 Shrine Bowl leading up to that year's NFL Draft. He also played college football locally at Harvard. Jones ended up going undrafted and signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, spending all of last year and the start of this year on their practice squad before being released last week.

In order to open those spots the Patriots had to release two players. Linebacker Joe Giles-Harris was let go to open up Parker's spot, while the team cut guard Michael Jordan on Tuesday to sign Jones.

Giles-Harris had been with the Patriots on the practice squad since the start of last summer. He was elevated for three games this year, recording three tackles.

For Jordan, this is the second time he's been released by the Patriots in as many weeks. After starting 11 games at guard he was let go at the start of last week, then brought back on the practice squad and elevated for Sunday's game against the Colts. He played one offensive snap and six special teams snaps in that game.