It’s been a whirlwind week for new Patriots safety John Saunders Jr.
The rookie started the week in Miami on the Dolphins’ practice squad, preparing for a Thursday night game against the Dolphins. Then he received a call from Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf on Tuesday night, saying the team was going to sign him to the 53-man roster, and he was on a flight up to New England at 4:30 the next morning.
Saunders took a pre-draft visit to New England this offseason before the draft.
He wound up going undrafted and signed with the Dolphins out of Ole Miss.
“The main thing I remember, like, when you walk in, the player entrance, you got all the Super Bowls right there. Then outside the doors, all the Super Bowl titles. That’s football tradition, like, serious rich tradition. This is the winningest team since I’ve been born. Being a part of this is a blessing, for real. Just excited to help continue this legacy.”
Saunders fills the void left when the Patriots traded Kyle Dugger to the Steelers. The Patriots’ safety depth chart now includes Saunders, Dell Pettus and Brenden Schooler behind starters Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson. They also have veteran safety Richie Grant on the practice squad.
“Fantastic attitude,” head coach Mike Vrabel said of Saunders Friday. “We loved our pre-draft visits with him as the person. He’s learning, trying to learn our system, learn how we do things. Everybody does something a little different. So we’re excited to work with him.”
It might be asking too much for Saunders to be ready to play in Sunday’s game against the Falcons.
