WOW. Pats release Dominique Easley

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NFL-- Former first-round pick Dominique Easley played exceedingly well for the New England Patriots last season when he was healthy. That makes the defensive lineman's release all the more surprising.


NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Easley was released on Wednesday after playing only 22 games over two seasons. The Patriots later confirmed Easley's release. Tom Curran of Comcast SportsNet New England first reported the news.

While injuries have been an issue for Easley, it's hard not to wonder if there is more to the story here. Patriots coach Bill Belichick called Easley an "explosive player that is very disruptive" before last season. Easley only played 275 snaps last year, but he looked like one of the team's best defensive players when healthy. To put it in perspective: ProFootball Focus ranked him as the No. 12 defensive tackle in the league despite the limited playing time.

Easley tore his ACL in both knees in college and ended his rookie season in 2014 with a knee injury. He tore his quadriceps in 2015.

Easley's departure leaves the Patriots thinner on a defensive line that already lost pass rusher Chandler Jones this offseason. Easley had the flexibility to play defensive end or defensive tackle for a team that is thin up the middle. The team has 2015 first-round pick Malcolm Brown, veteran Alan Branch and recent pickup Terrance Knighton at defensive tackle.
 
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Either his knees are totally shot, or there will be a follow up story soon about some kind off field nonsense, or Lil Bill has lost his mind
 
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Boston Globe -- The New England Patriots' decision to release 2014 first-round pick Dominique Easley on Wednesday was reportedly motivated by more than just his injury issues.

Multiple league sources told Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that the defensive tackle was unreliable and immature, and was never a good fit for the Patriots.

"He'll make an appointment for a massage and not show up," one source told Volin. "He's just very disrespectful and irresponsible."

Added another source: "I think he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. He comes across as an entitled kid. He reneges on everything. He thinks he's invincible."

Easley's release apparently didn't come as much of a surprise to his former teammates, either.

"Saw that coming," an unnamed Patriots player said. "Injuries and locker room cancer."

A highly touted prospect out of Florida, Easley was projected as an early first-round pick before tearing his ACL a second time. Lingering knee issues caused him to miss five games in his rookie season, and he was limited to 11 games in 2015 due to knee, hip, and ankle injuries.

Easley repeatedly ignored requests from the Patriots to rehab his injuries with the team's trainers, according to Volin, instead rehabbing alone. The Patriots became so fed up with him during his rookie season that after placing him on injured reserve in December, they told him to rehab away from the team until offseason workouts began in April, Volin reports.

The Patriots "never liked him from the get-go, and part of the problem was he would never listen to the medical advice," a source said.

Easley reportedly felt the same way, telling people privately that he wanted out of New England. He got his wish, and must now wait and see if another team claims him off waivers.
 
Elias

Elias

The Invisible Man
Big Fish
Jet Fanatics
Jets Global
I'd stay away from him. If hes a locker room cancer with the Pats who have great veteran leadership, I can only imagine what he'd be elsewhere.
 
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