FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Third-year wide receiver Josh Boyce, a high fourth-round draft choice out of TCU whose solid testing skills in the pre-draft process never fully translated to on-field production, was one of five players waived by the New England Patriots on Monday.
The move doesn't come as a surprise given what has unfolded in training camp and the preseason, and highlights how Boyce didn't seize a nice opportunity presented to him.
With top receivers Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, Aaron Dobson and Brian Tyms all sidelined early in camp, Boyce received a lot of run with the top unit. But it just never seemed to click consistently for him. The Aug. 13 preseason opener reflected his struggles, as he was targeted 11 times and had just two receptions.
In addition to Boyce, the Patriots also waived receiver Jonathan Krause, defensive tackle Joe Vellano, linebacker Dekoda Watson and tight end Jimmay Mundine.
Boyce -- who appeared to be dealing with some type of injury within the last week, as he wore a sleeve over his left arm -- and Krause (who took a big hit over the middle Friday night) were waived with injury designations. That means they could land on injured reserve if they clear waivers, or receive some form of injury settlement.
The Patriots' roster is now at 79 players, with four more moves to make before Tuesday's deadline at 4 p.m. ET.
