Chances are Patriots fans forgot Chukwuma Okorafor even existed, which might have caused them to do a double take upon seeing the veteran offensive lineman surface on social media.

ESPN’s Field Yates on Monday reported New England will release Okorafor, who is scheduled to be a free agent in March. Okorafor, who served as a Week 1 starter at left tackle, was placed on the exempt/left squad list in Week 2 before he quickly transitioned to the reserve/left squad list. He never returned to the team.

The 27-year-old Okorafor played just 12 snaps on the season. Okorafor walking away from the team in mid-September likely made fans think he was released a long time ago.

Okorafor’s departure served as the first hit for New England’s offensive line in 2024. Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf expected Okorafor to start at left tackle, but his exit and ensuing injuries prompted the Patriots to use nearly a dozen offensive line combinations during the season.

Okorafor didn’t know he would be asked to start on the left side, and signed with the Patriots because it gave him an opportunity to start.

Okorafor previously was a career right tackle with the Pittsburgh Steelers.