The New England Patriots made two roster moves on Saturday ahead of their Week 2 battle against the Seattle Seahawks, but while one (an elevation of guard Michael Jordan from the practice squad) was expected, the other was a surprise.
New England’s second transaction was placing veteran offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor on the exempt/left squad list, meaning that he left the team. The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Patriots this offseason to compete for the starting left tackle job, but he was benched just 12 snaps into the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Ahead of Sunday’s Week 2 contest with the Seattle Seahawks, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo spoke with former Patriots quarterback and current color commentator Scott Zolak about Okorafor and his decision to leave the team before the game.
“I had a conversation with Chuks,” Mayo started (transcribed by PFN’s Dakota Randall). “First, it had nothing to do with football. I called him; it had everything to do with the man. I wanted to make sure he was good, in a good head space, and, really … taking into consideration if this is what he wanted to do. But, once again, I look at these as long-term relationships, and care more about the individual than anything else.”
Hopefully, Okorafor is able to get through whatever it is that’s taking him away from New England.
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