Patriots Add OL Depth for Playoff Showdown vs. Chargers

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — As the New England Patriots ramp up their preparations for a wild card round showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers, they are wisely fortifying their depth along their offensive line.

The Patriots officially announced that tackle Sebastian Gutierrez has been re-signed to the practice squad. The 27-year-old was originally signed to the Pats’ scout team on Sept. 30 and released from the practice squad on Dec. 23.

Gutierrez already spent a brief time on the New England’s practice squad in 2022. The 6-foot-5, 308-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Denver Broncos out of Minot State in May 2022. He has spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts either in training camp or on the practice squad. He was elevated from the practice squad and played in one game for the Raiders in 2022 and one game for the 49ers in 2024. Gutierrez went to training camp this past summer with San Francisco and Cleveland.

Gutierrez will join fellow offensive linemen Brenden Jaimes, Mekhi Butler and Andrew Rupcich on New England’s practice squad. His addition provides additional, and potentially needed depth, as their active roster is currently facing its share of challenges.

Offensive tackle Vederian Lowe and center Garrett Bradbury remained sidelined due to illness on day two of wild card round practices. However, starting right tackle Morgan Moses returned to the field. The return of Moses provides modicum of optimism regarding the illness which is circulating throughout the Pats’ locker room. Both Lowe and Brandury will remain under close watch when New England’s third and final practice session of the week begins.

Lastly, rookie left guard Jared Wilson (concussion protocol) was a particpant, once again sporting a red, non-contact jersey. Wilson was sidelined for the Pats’ regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins. In 13 games this year, the former Georgia Bulldog has aligned on 785 snaps (92 percent) on offense — allowing four sacks, six hits and 23 pressures.

Patriots Release CB Miles Battle from Practice Squad

Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Miles Battle (35) heads to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

In order to accommodate Gutierrez’s arrival, the Patriots released cornerback Miles Battle from the practice squad.

Battle originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs in May 2024 out of Utah. The 6-foot-3, 197-pounder, was released by Kansas City after training camp and was signed by New England to the practice squad in Oct. 2024. He was signed by New England to the 53-man roster from the practice squad on Jan. 4, 2025, and played in his first NFL game in the season-finale vs. Buffalo (1/5), finishing with 2 tackles and 3 passes defensed.

Despite being released by New England at the end of training camp this past summer, Battle was then signed to the team's practice squad. The 25-year-old was elevated to the active roster for the game at Tennessee on Oct. 19 and saw action on special teams. He was signed to the 53-man roster on Nov. 26. Battle played in five games and accumulated 3 total tackles. He was released from the 53-man roster on Dec. 29 and signed back to the practice squad on Jan. 1.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!