The NFL has figured out how to be a 12-month sport despite having the shortest regular season of any of the major US leagues. With the Super Bowl just two weeks ago, the NFL will turn the page to the NFL combine and then NFL free agency before the month is out. That schedule then leads to offseason activities and the 2025 NFL draft.

While free agency starts with legal tampering on March 10th, many conversations with happen at the combine.

As we shared yesterday with the Cleveland Browns releasing RB Nyheim Miller-Hines, some players get to hit the free agent market early. A former Browns linebacker joined Miller-Hines on that list on Wednesday when the New England Patriots released Sione Takitaki:

Takitaki joined the Patriots last offseason when he signed a two-year deal worth over $6 million. After costing New England over $3.3 million toward the salary cap last year, the Patriots will save $2.6 million with his release and have $1 million in dead cap this year.

New England is loaded with the most cap space in the NFL, buoyed by the recent news of a higher projection for next year by the league.

In five seasons in Cleveland, Takitaki started 36 games and compiled 289 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, four sacks and four passes defended. Last year, in just 11 games with the Patriots, the former third-round pick started four games adding 21 tackles to his career totals.

A quality special teams player, Takitaki could help the Browns depth needs at linebacker next year and is free to sign with any team before free agency opens next month.