FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots released veteran long snapper Joe Cardona, their longest-tenured player, on Tuesday.
Cardona has been with the Patriots since they selected him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft out of Navy. He was part of two Super Bowl championship teams, playing in 160 regular-season games and 13 playoff games.
Cardona had a tackle in each of the first four games last season, which was reflective of his coverage ability. He also had a forced fumble.
In 2023, Cardona, a lieutenant in the Navy, was named the USAA 2023 Salute to Service Award winner. The award recognizes the exceptional efforts by a member of the NFL to honor and support the military community.
The Patriots selected Vanderbilt long snapper Julian Ashby in the seventh round of this year’s draft (251st overall), which was the first indication Cardona’s time in New England might be coming to an end.
Releasing Cardona continues a theme under new head coach Mike Vrabel. The Patriots have also moved on from longtime center David Andrews, who had been with the team since 2015, earlier this offseason.
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