The Patriots revamped wide receiver corps won’t look that different after all.
In trimming its roster down to 75 players, the team announced Monday that it was parting ways with Jabar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth before their second stints in New England could begin.
The writing was on the wall for Stallworth after he was unable to get on the field with the starters Friday with Wes Welker and Gaffney sidelined. Gaffney, meanwhile, suffered a quad injury that ended an otherwise underwhelming camp.
It looks like New England will now enter the season with Brandon Lloyd, Welker, Julian Edelman, Deion Branch and Matthew Slater at receiver.
Notable cut: DE Gerard Warren was likely a longshot to make the team, but was one of the more respected veterans on the roster. Warren was also released last year but came back in September following injuries to Mike Wright (concussion) and Myron Pryor (shoulder).
Complete cut list
S Ross Ventrone (3rd year, undrafted, Villanova); DL Tim Bulman (undrafted, rookie, Boston College); Warren (12th year, first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2001, Florida); Gaffney (11th year, second-round pick of Houston Texans in 2002, Florida) ; Stallworth (10th year, first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2001, Tennessee).
Other moves: FB Spencer Larsen (knee), S Will Allen and S Josh Barrett were placed on injured reserve. ... TE Jake Ballard (ACL) and Pryor (shoulder) were placed on the physically unable to perform list. ...OL Markus Zusevics (pectoral) was placed on the non-football injury list. ... The Patriots claimed WR Kerry Taylor (6-foot, 196 pounds) off waivers from Minnesota. He spent a week on New England’s practice squad last season.
Nick Underhill covers the Patriots for MassLive.com. Follow him on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLNE or @nick_underhill.