ESPN's Adam Schefter and ESPNBoston's Mike Reiss are reporting that New England Patriots defensive lineman and ten year NFL veteran Damoine Lewis has been released. Lewis was projected on the team's depth chart as either the fifth or sixth lineman.
Lewis had dressed for the preseason finale against the New York Giants Thursday night, and did see some time on the field. He finished the preseason with 3 assisted tackles.
Reiss suggested that this release may not spell the end of Lewis in a Patriots uniform:
"Sometimes teams release veterans before the final cutdown day and then bring them back after the first game so they don't have to guarantee a full season's salary, so perhaps the Patriots have that in mind with Lewis…"
Lewis spent the last four seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Prior to that, he was a member of the St. Louis Rams for five seasons.