Patriots trade for Jalen Saunders, make other moves

The New England Patriots announced Tuesday that have acquired receiver Jalen Saunders in a trade with the New Orleans Saints in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick. The team also claimed rookie wideout DaVaris Daniels off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings.

Additionally, the Patriots placed fullback James Develin and rookie defensive back Darryl Roberts on Injured Reserve, placed linebacker Dane Fletcher and defensive lineman Chris Jones on the PUP/Reserve list and released guard Chris Barker and rookie linebacker D.J. Lynch.

Saunders was a 2014 fourth-round draft pick of the New York Jets out of Oklahoma. The 5-foot-9, 165-pounder, played in three games for the Jets before being released late last September. He then spent time as a practice-squader with the Arizona Cardinals and Saints.

He played in six games for the Saints and caught one pass for seven yards and returned nine punts for 99 yards and three kickoffs for 139 yards, including a 99-yard return on his first career return.

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Saunders, Evans add speed, bulk to Jets' wideout corps

BY NICK ST. DENIS

It was only a matter of time before the New York Jets' draft turned in the direction of the pass-catchers.

It started Friday night when the team scooped up the big tight end out of Texas Tech in Jace Amaro, and it started back up early in the third day of draft action, as Gang Green selected a pair of wideouts in the fourth round.

New York first nabbed the speedy Jalen Saunders out of Oklahoma at No. 104 overall before picking up the bigger UCLA wideout Shaquelle Evans at No. 115 overall.