While most of the NFL was focused on the trade deadline, the New England Patriots used Tuesday to take an up-close look at three free agents. Linebackers Andrew Farmer and D.J. Johnson as well as defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko were in town on a tryout basis.
None of the three ended up immediately signing with the team. The only transaction on Tuesday saw wide receiver Brenden Rice replace running back Jonathan Ward on the practice squad.
Farmer, 25, entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023. The Lane College product saw action in eight games as a rookie, playing on both defense and special teams, and registered a total of three tackles. He was let go by the Chargers ahead of his second regular season, and ended up spending 2024 on the Denver Broncos practice squad without seeing any game action.
Johnson, 27, was a third-round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and appeared in a combined 31 games for the organization. The Oregon product saw his defensive playing time decrease in 2025, however, and was released in late September. In total, he left Carolina having played close to 900 total snaps on defense and special teams, and with a half sack, a fumble recovery, and 62 tackles on his résumé.
Fehoko, 25, was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft by the Dallas Cowboys but failed to crack the team’s rotation along the defensive line. He saw no action as a rookie and was let go by the team halfway through his sophomore campaign. The San Jose State product most recently spent time with the Washington Commanders before his release off injured reserve in August.
The Patriots currently have no open spots on their active roster or practice squad. They will travel to Tampa this weekend to take on the Buccaneers in a 1 p.m. ET matchup on Sunday, Nov. 9.