The New England Patriots have bolstered their secondary, signing former New Orleans Saints safety Vinnie Sunseri on Sunday afternoon to increase their roster size to 89 with training camp beginning in just three short days.
Vinnie Sunseri headed to Patriots training camp
Following the acquisition, the Patriots have just one roster spot open heading into camp. Sunseri joins incoming rookie cornerback Cyrus Jones as another Alabama Crimson Tide product in the New England secondary. He spent three years learning under head coach Nick Saban's tight regime while winning a pair of BCS National Championships in 2012 and 2013.
After being chosen with the 167th selection of the 2014 draft by the Saints, Sunseri was able to earn a roster spot out of training camp and receive special teams duty throughout the opening portion of the season. After garnering Special Teams Player of the Week honors on four separate occasions while at Alabama, Sunseri showcased his ability to make an impact in that aspect of the ballgame, and it translated to New Orleans early on in 2014.
Sunseri looking to recover from torn ACL
The six-footer recorded four tackles on special teams and one defensive tackle in nine games that season, however, a broken arm injury suffered in November of that season significantly derailed his career. Sunseri proceeded to be hindered by a torn ACL throughout 2015 training camp with the Saints, landing on the injured reserve for the entirety of last season after clearing waivers following the conclusion of the preseason.
In late April, while clearing up secondary space, New Orleans cut ties with Sunseri, who gained interest from head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots in late May. The team invited the Sunseri in for a workout, keeping tabs on the Mobile, Alabama native as he toiled through the ranks of the NFL free agency mill until Sunday afternoon, when New England officially extended an invite for him to attend training camp.
In order to make the Patriots roster out of training camp, Sunseri will most likely have to prove his worth on both the special teams side of the ball and as a safety. It is probable that he will be required to edge out the likes of Brock Vereen and Cedric Thompson just to sniff out a spot on the practice squad.