Patriots activate Dalton Keene, add Donte Moncrief and other players to roster

Keene, a 2020 third-round pick, missed the last five games with a knee injury.

The Patriots activated rookie tight end Dalton Keene. Steven Senne/AP Photo

December 5, 2020

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The Patriots activated tight end Dalton Keene and added him to their 53-man roster, the team announced Saturday.

Keene, a 2020 third-round pick, missed the last five games with a knee injury. He’s played only 24 offensive snaps as a rookie, but he could see more time if Ryan Izzo (hamstring/hand) can’t play.

New England also signed wide receiver Donte Moncrief and defensive lineman Akeem Spence to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, activated tight end/defensive lineman Rashod Berry from the practice squad, and released wide receiver Isaiah Ford.

Moncrief had one catch for 15 yards against the Houston Texans and two returns for a combined 75 yards against the Arizona Cardinals. He earned praise from head coach Bill Belichick for his performance against Arizona.

“He did a nice job,” Belichick said. “He ran through an arm tackle and showed good ability to get up to the second level and ran past the kicker and had a big return for us. He’s shown those things in practice but not in many live opportunities, but those carried over into the game. That’s a good thing, so he’ll hopefully continue to gain confidence in that role.”

Spence made four tackles against the Cardinals, and Berry saw action against the Denver Broncos in October.

The Patriots acquired Ford in a trade with the Miami Dolphins in November. He dressed for one game but didn’t play and was inactive for two games.