The New England Patriots added outside linebacker Jose Ramirez to their practice squad on Monday as part of ongoing adjustments to the unit, the team announced.
The move brings back a familiar edge defender who has already logged time with the club this season while the team manages depth amid various personnel issues.
Ramirez, a 27-year-old from Lake Alfred, Florida, entered the league as a sixth-round selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He starred at Eastern Michigan, where he earned MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022 after posting a school-record 12 sacks along with 19.5 tackles for loss.
That production, combined with his quickness and technique as an undersized edge rusher, made him an intriguing Day 3 prospect despite limited starting experience early in his college career.
His professional path has been circuitous. After spending his rookie season primarily on Tampa Bay’s practice squad and appearing in four games the following year, Ramirez was waived during the 2025 training camp.
He spent that season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League before signing a futures contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, who released him in the final cuts.
The Patriots signed him to their practice squad on September 1, promoted him to the active roster later that month, and then released him on October 6.
He returned to the practice squad on October 8 only to be released again on October 13 before Monday’s re-signing.
In two games with New England this season, Ramirez has contributed mainly on special teams, recording one tackle.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss noted that the team had previously moved on from him in part to address offensive line needs while continuing to shuffle its 17-man practice squad to account for injuries and depth requirements.
His return provides another option at outside linebacker, a position where Harold Landry remains on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Other edge players such as Elijah Ponder, Gabe Jacas, and Dre’Mont Jones have seen opportunities in his absence.
For a player whose NFL career has largely unfolded on the margins, the latest practice squad placement keeps Ramirez in the mix as New England navigates the middle of the season.
The move underscores the fluid nature of roster construction for depth pieces, particularly when special teams contributions and familiarity with the system offer incremental value.
Whether Ramirez remains on the practice squad or earns another elevation will depend on how the edge group holds up and how the Patriots continue balancing their developmental roster in the weeks ahead.
