The New England Patriots announced that they have released defensive tackle David Blay and signed safety Eric Butler on Friday.
Blay was signed as an undrafted rookie out of Miami back in May. He had an uphill climb in a room full of talented defensive tackles, including starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore. As a senior, he appeared in 13 games and racked up 28 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one pass deflection.
Butler worked out for the Patriots in late July before signing with the team. The rookie free agent played for four seasons at San Diego State, finishing with 119 tackles, one interception, one sack, 5.5 tackles for a loss, one pick-six, nine pass deflections and one forced fumble in 48 games.
The #Patriots swap undrafted rookies on their roster: released DT David Blay Jr and signed S Eric Butler.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) August 7, 2026
Butler will have a chance to make an impact with the preseason right around the corner.
The Patriots have talented playmakers at safety, including All-Pro defender Kevin Byard and second-year standout Craig Woodson. It will fall on Butler to prove he’s worthy of sticking around as a depth option for the team.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots release undrafted rookie DT, announce new defensive signing
