The Patriots released wide receiver Jalen Reagor from the practice squad on Tuesday, hours after Reagor posted a cryptic social media post suggesting he may not have been happy with his role in New England.
A former first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, Reagor signed one year, $1.3 million extension with the Patriots in March after spending the 2023 season with New England as a backup receiver and kick return specialist. He received $442,500 in guaranteed money.
Reagor did not make the 53-man roster out of the preseason and re-signed with New England’s practice squad in August. He was not active in New England’s first two games of the season.
On Tuesday, Reagor posted a meme on Instagram of a Bugatti parked at the entrance of a trailer park.
#Patriots WR Jalen Reagor with an interesting post on Instagram
One wonders if the veteran wide receiver is unhappy to be on New England’s practice squad.
(via jalenreagor IG) image.twitter.com/Oup43SKaYw
— Carlos talks about the Pats (@LosTalksPats) September 17, 2024
The message included no comment, but one could reasonably conclude in this scenario that Reagor believes he is the parked Bugatti and the Patriots the adjacent trailer. And there is a reasonable chance that is exactly how the Patriots interpreted his message.
Hours later, the Patriots released Reagor. announced the transaction in a brief statement with no comment from anyone on the team.
Following his release, Reagor deleted the meme from his Instagram account. In fact, he deleted the whole thing. As of Tuesday afternoon, Reagor’s Instagram account With over 100,000 followers, she didn’t post a single post or anything on her Instagram stories window. Her profile just read “athlete.”
This chapter is the latest in a disappointing run since the Eagles selected Reagor with the 21st pick in the 2020 draft, one selection ahead of Minnesota Vikings All-Pro Justin Jefferson. Reagor had 31 receptions for 396 yards and a touchdown as a rookie and 57 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns in his second season.
The Eagles cut their losses in the 2022 offseason, trading Reagor to the Vikings for a seventh-round draft pick and a conditional fourth-round pick that became a fifth-round pick. When Reagor’s performance conditions were not metReagor caught eight passes for 107 yards in 17 games in Minnesota.
The Vikings released Reagor after training camp in 2023, and the Patriots signed him to their practice squad. New England activated him for 11 games last season, and he had seven receptions for 138 yards.
He made perhaps his biggest contributions on special teams, where he showed off the top-notch speed and athleticism that made him a first-round pick to start as a kick return specialist. Reagor returned seven kicks for an average of 31.6 yards per return, including a 98-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17.
In the end, Reagor’s talent wasn’t enough to earn him a permanent spot on New England’s roster. He’s now looking for a new job.
