THE New England Patriots have cut offensive lineman Ryan Johnson.
Johnson was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL Draft.
Johnson played guard at Youngstown State for three seasons and started 28 games for the school.
The 6-foot-2, 306-pound guard started his career at Duquesne before transferring to Youngstown State.
He started all 13 games at right guard during his senior season in 2023.
The Patriots have not announced a corresponding move to follow Johnson’s release.
Johnson was always going to have a tough time sticking on the Patriots’ roster, as the team selected two lineman during the draft.
With the No. 68 pick in the third round they selected Caedan Wallace out of Penn State.
Wallace was mostly a right tackle in college, but it is possible he could move to the left side with Mike Onwenu having a hold on the right tackle position.
The Penn State alum is strong in pass protection and could possible slot in at guard as well.
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Later in the draft with the No. 103 pick in the fourth round they grabbed Layden Robinson out of Texas A&M.
Robinson projects solely as a guard and could fill in while starting left guard Cole Strange comes back from injury.
One scouting report labeled him an “absolute freight train in the running game.”
The Patriots have put an emphasis on the offensive line in recent years, and it is even more important with rookie quarterback Drake Maye joining the team.
Priority number one is keeping him safe and molding him into the next great Patriots quarterback after Tom Brady.
Brady offered some personal advice for Maye in an interview with Yahoo Sports.
“I’m very fortunate to be around him and I like him a lot,” Brady told Yahoo Sports.
“I’ve heard great things about him. But his opportunity is going to be really what he makes of it and how he wants to develop it and how he wants to attack his profession — like we all do.
“It’s not where you’re at when you’re 22. It’s who you’re around when you’re 22. Who inspires you to be better? Who develops you?
“I was so fortunate. I look at my career, I was looking around at other competitors like Peyton Manning, like Steve McNair, Vinny Testaverde was playing for the [New York] Jets. Brett Favre was playing.”