FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- With top tight end Rob Gronkowski not participating fully in practice, and top backup Dwayne Allen acknowledging some early growing pains with non-verbal communication with quarterback Tom Brady, the New England Patriots added a layer of depth at the position on Thursday by signing Will Tye to their practice squad.
Tye, who has been issued No. 44, was in the team's locker room Thursday afternoon.
A third-year player out of Stony Brook, he has more experience and production than most practice-squad players. Tye played in 29 games for the Giants from 2015-2016 and totaled 859 yards and four touchdowns. He was with the Jets for three games this season, with four catches for 38 yards.
So why is the 6-foot-2, 256-pound Tye available?
The Jets, who released him Oct. 3, had to clear a roster spot with receiver Jalin Marshall coming back from suspension, and their tight end position is solidified with Austin Seferian-Jenkins having a solid start to the season. The Jets also have Eric Tomlinson and Jordan Leggett (knee) on their depth chart.
Given his experience and production, Tye naturally had interest from other teams, including the Chiefs and Ravens. But those teams might have had some level of concern with his foot not being 100 percent.
In New England, Tye joins a tight end group that includes Gronkowski, Allen and rookie Jacob Hollister. While some might wonder if the signing has more to do with intelligence on the Jets, the strong sense is that it has more to do with Gronkowski not fully practicing than anything else, which sparks the need for more depth. The team also had free-agent tight end Evan Baylis in for a workout on Wednesday.
In addition to Tye, the Patriots also signed linebacker Trevor Reilly to the practice squad.
