His stay in the AFC East was a little shorter this time around.
The New England Patriots announced Wednesday they have released veteran tight end Ben Hartsock, who just signed on with his former rival four days earlier.
Hartsock, 34, is a veteran of 10 NFL seasons--two of which he spent with the New York Jets (2009-10).
The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a third-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2004 out of Ohio State. He has played in 131 NFL games with 49 starts and has 31 receptions for 312 yards and one touchdown.
Last season, Hartsock played in 13 games with two starts for the Carolina Panthers--where he resided for three years--but did not have any receptions. Hartsock has also spent stints with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons.
His departure is just the latest move in the Patriots' ongoing experiment at the position. Their top three tight ends are battling ailments, and they've signed a handful of reserves in camp to compete for role spots.
His departure is just the latest move in the Patriots' ongoing experiment at the position. Their top three tight ends are battling ailments, and they've signed a handful of reserves in camp to compete for role spots.
