The New England Patriots released offensive tackle Conor McDermott on Monday, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. The 31-year-old started five games at left tackle last season for New England, but after the team drafted Penn State offensive tackle Caedan Wallace in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, McDermott is being let go. He has 17 career starts in 55 games on his resume, so there could be interest from another organization for veteran depth purposes.
The New England Patriots signed both offensive tackles Riley Reiff and Calvin Anderson this offseason and offered them more money than Conor McDermott, a sign that McDermott would be buried on the depth chart this year. However, McDermott quietly continues to play well and earned a promotion when Reiff was demoted to the second string during minicamp. It's not crazy to think that McDermott could be the team's starting right tackle in Week 1. The 30-year-old isn't a Pro Bowl-caliber right tackle, but he could be serviceable on a cheap contract after signing a two-year, $3.6 million extension in February. McDermott finished the final six games of last year as their starting right tackle and held his own.
The New York Jets re-signed offensive lineman Conor McDermott to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday. McDermott, who brings veteran experience and versatility to the team's offensive line, will return for his fourth season with the Jets in 2022. The 29-year-old was originally a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2017 out of UCLA. McDermott started two of his three games last year at left tackle with Mekhi Becton injured, and he even caught a touchdown pass while lined up as a tight end in Week 15. He began his NFL career with two seasons for the Buffalo Bills in 2017 and 2018.
