Chukwuma Okorafor will not be eligible to return to Patriots this season, originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Veteran offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor will not play a single game for the New England Patriots in 2024.
Okorafor was placed on the waiver/decommissioned list on Saturday, with the 27-year-old reportedly leaving the team to “consider his future” in the NFL.
The Patriots moved Okorafor from the exempt/left-sided squad to the reserve/left-sided squad on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Teams get a five-day waiver when they move a player to the left-sided squad, but if the player doesn’t return within five days, his season is over.
Five days have passed since Okorafor was placed on the list of banned players/players who are no longer allowed to play in the team, so he cannot return to the team this season.
Before Thursday Night Football, the Patriots moved OT Chuks Okorafor from the exception/left tackle list to the reserve/left tackle list.
A team is given a 5-day exemption when a player is moved to the left squad, but if the player does not return within 5 days, his season is…
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 19, 2024
Okorafor does not make the Patriots’ 53-man roster and his contract expires.
New England signed Okorafor in March to address a glaring need at tackle. Okorafor had primarily played right tackle in his previous six NFL seasons in Pittsburgh, but was asked to move to left tackle for the Patriots. The experiment lasted just 12 plays in the season opener against Cincinnati before he was benched for Vederian Lowe.
Without Okorafor and Lowe (knee injury), the Patriots are expected to start rookie Caedan Wallace at left tackle in Thursday night’s game against the New York Jets. Kickoff for the divisional game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
