🔥 HOT NEWS: New England strengthens its defense by bringing in a former Raiders LB as they gear up for a crucial late-season surge ⚡. DH
The New England Patriots are adding some depth to their defense as they prepare for a Week 16 showdown with the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
The Pats have signed former Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Amari Gainer to their practice squad. The 6-foot-3, 236-pound defender was assigned a locker in advance of the Pats’ first practice of Ravens week. Gainer confirmed the news himself via social media.
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL draft, Gainer signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent. He was also selected by the Arlington Renegades in the fifth round of the 2024 UFL draft on July 17. Gainer was waived by the Raiders in late August as part of preseason roster reductions.
Gainer spent the majority of his college career as a Florida State Seminole, before spending his final season as a teammate of Pats’ quarterback Drake Maye at North Carolina.
As a true freshman at Florida State in 2018, Gainer suffered a broken foot and redshirted, having appeared in four games during the season. He became a starter in 2019.
With 13 games played, and nine starts, in the 2019 season, he recorded 69 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks. He then was the team leader with 65 tackles in 2020.
Gainer recorded 59 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack during the 2021 season, then posted 17 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack in 2022.
Gainer transferred to the North Carolina Tar Heels for his final season in 2023, ending his stint at Florida State having made 210 tackles, 19 tackles-for-loss, six sacks and five forced fumbles. In his lone year with the Tar Heels, he appeared in all 13 games and posted 27 tackles, six tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks.
Patriots Add Defensive Depth Ahead of Ravens Matchup
Gainer will join fellow linebacker Otis Reese on New England’s practice squad. While they remain the only designated linebackers on the scout team, the Pats also employ defensive linemen Jeremiah Pharms Jr, Leonard Taylor and Fabian Lovett.
The Patriots also boast one of the deepest linebackers position groups in the NFL consisting of Harold Landry III, Robert Spillane, K’Lavon Chaisson, Christian Elliss, Jack Gibbens, Anfernee Jennings, Marte Mapu, Jahlani Tavai, Elijah Ponder, Brayden Swinson and newly-acquired Chad Muma.
The Patriots added Muma from the Indianapolis Colts practice squad and onto their 53-man roster, earlier in the week. In a corresponding move, New England announced that it has waived linebacker Caleb Murphy.
Muma was a highly-touted defensive prospect at Wyoming, eventually becoming a two-year starter for the Cowboys. He earned second-team All-American and first-team All-MWC honors in 2021 and was also named second-team All-MWC in 2020.
The 26-year-old was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the no. 70 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $5.43 million contract when he was waived after camp this year, as a victim of a log jam of talent at the position.
He was subsequently claimed by the Colts in late August. Indianapolis then waived Muma in early November. However, they re-signed him to the practice squad when he cleared waivers. In 2025, Muma has appeared in five games for the Colts and recorded five total tackles.
