Austin Seferian-Jenkins Cut by New England Patriots

Austin Seferian-Jenkins was released by the New England Patriots on the team’s first day of camp. The veteran tight end signed an $895,000 one-year deal April 10. He was attempting to secure a roster spot as New England transitions away from the now retired Rob Gronkowski.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins was not at the mandatory minicamp for the team on Tuesday. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said that all the players required to be at the camp had reported.

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The tight end, who is 26 and has caught 116 passes for 1,161 yards with 11 touchdowns across 43 games in his five seasons as a professional, was not present for the Patriots’ voluntary practice during May that was open to the media.

The depth chart for tight end is headlined by Benjamin Watson, but the veteran is suspended for the first four games of the regular season for testing positive for banned substances.

Other tight ends on the Patriots depth chart include Matt LaCosse, Stephen Anderson, Andrew Beck and Ryan Izzo.

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Last season, Seferian-Jenkins caught 11 passes for 90 yards with one touchdown prior to being placed on injured reserve during October with an injury that required surgery. He later became a free agent after Jacksonville opted to not pick up his option of $500,000 for 2019.

Seferian-Jenkins signed with the Jaguars last season for a deal of two years and $10 million after his career had been resurrected with the New York Jets.

He had been cut by Tampa Bay after a drunken driving arrest in September 2016. The arrest resulted in Seferian-Jenkins being suspended for two games to start the 2017 regular season.