The New England Patriots didn’t have to look far to find a player to fill the roster spot vacated by wide receiver Antonio Brown, who was released by the team after just 11 days. Before the Patriots face the New York Jets on Sunday, they promoted fullback Jakob Johnson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. The Patriots need a fullback after James Develin was ruled out with a neck injury.
Also, Johnson could step up with tight ends Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosse questionable for Sunday's game. Johnson, who went undrafted this year before signing with the Patriots in April as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, is known for his versatility.
In his last preseason game, the Patriots even used him as an outside linebacker, but he could step up against the Jets as a blocker, special-teamer and a potential target for veteran quarterback Tom Brady. Johnson played 47 games over four years for Tennessee in college, first as a linebacker before moving to tight end. In 2018, the 24-year-old Johnson honed his skills with the Stuttgart Scorpions, where he caught 43 passes for 474 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games before he was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on April 8, 2019, as part of the NFL’s International Pathway Program.
Brown would likely lose $10 million
After he was cut by the Patriots, Brown did not only squander his job, but he stands to lose around $10 million from the one-year, $15-million deal that he signed with New England last Sept. 9. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Brown is likely to forfeit his $9 million signing bonus because of his failure to disclose the civil suit that he’s currently facing, which stemmed from the rape allegations filed by his former trainer. Fowler said the Patriots could use the clause in Brown’s contract, indicating that the wide receiver must disclose all situations that may prevent his availability to the team. Albert Breer of MMQB said the Patriots could cite the aforementioned clause in forfeiting his guaranteed $1 million base salary.
Patriots scheduled to pay $5 million on Monday
The Patriots were scheduled to pay Brown the initial $5 million signing bonus on Monday, but they could withhold payment due to the said clause. As of now, Brown stands to receive just $158,333 for his time with the Patriots. Brown might tap the services of a lawyer to force the Patriots to cough up his signing bonus. Brown played just one game for the Patriots, catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown in their 43-0 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. Despite Brown’s release, the Patriots remain as Super Bowl favorites in Las Vegas sportsbook, ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs.