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Patriots add physical nose tackle Marquan McCall off waivers; cut Tre Nixon
Marquan McCall is listed as the Patriots' heaviest player at 379 pounds.
The Patriots bolstered their defensive line on Tuesday evening, with the team announcing that it claimed nose tackle Marquan McCall off waivers from the Carolina Panthers.
In order to accommodate McCall on the roster, the Patriots cut wide receiver Tre Nixon, who went down with a shoulder injury during Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
McCall, 24, played in 16 games last season as an undrafted rookie with Carolina, recording 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback hit.
The 6-foot-3, 379-pound McCall adds some heft to an already established defensive line in New England.
Even with several veterans like Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, and Daniel Ekuale already in place on the D-line, McCall’s ability to clog up running lanes could make him a useful asset on the roster.
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New England’s first-team defense was picked apart in the trenches during Saturday’s game in Green Bay, with the Packers averaging 4.7 yards per carry in the first quarter.
McCall was viewed as a potential starter on Carolina’s defense entering training camp, but was released by the Panthers due to what new head coach Frank Reich described as an issue over his “fit” in the team’s revamped defense.
“Those are tough decisions — we appreciate his contribution,” Reich said, per Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. “Honestly, we’re doing it now because we think he’s going to be on a roster somewhere. It just comes down to two things: It comes down to a fit for us and what we’re trying to do, and then we’ve had a couple of guys at that position who have really looked good. So, wish Marquan the best and appreciate his contribution.”
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It didn’t take long for McCall to find his new home in Foxborough, with the former Kentucky Wildcat in line for steady reps if New England opts to insert him as a run-stuffing nose tackle up front.
Nixon, who has spent the previous two seasons on New England’s practice squad, could land on injured reserve with the Patriots if he manages to clear waivers.
The 25-year-old wideout went down with what looked like a severe shoulder injury on Saturday when Packers safety Anthony Johnson fell on top of him after Nixon tried to reel in a deep ball from Bailey Zappe.
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