The New England Patriots' signing of Joseph Addai made a lot of sense on paper. It didn't work out so well on the field.
The Patriots released Addai on Wednesday before he ever suited up for training camp. There were suggestions he didn't perform up to expectations during OTAs and minicamp. New England also cut Addai's former teammate, Anthony Gonzalez, after a cup of coffee with the team. (Note to future ex-Indianapolis Colts: Don't sign with the Patriots. It's a trap.)
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Addai, like Gonzalez, was trying to make the Patriots' roster at a deep position. Steven Ridley, Shane Vereen and Danny Woodhead should form the top three players on the Patriots' depth chart heading into the season. (Although it wouldn't shock us to see New England sign another running back during training camp.)
The Patriotsofficially added tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and defensive lineman Tim Bulman while announcing the Addai move.
It wouldn't be a surprise if Addai wasn't on an NFL roster in Week 1. The one-time Pro Bowl pick started his NFL career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2006 and 2007, but he has struggled to stay healthy the last two years.
UPDATE:According to ESPNBoston.com, Addai was released after failing a team physical.
