The New England Patriots continue to make adjustments to their 90-man roster in the wake of rookie minicamp, which was held from May 9-11 at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots announced, on Monday, the signing of free agent defensive tackle Wilfried Pene, along with the release of rookie free agent tackle Cole Birdow. The team also made the signings of offensive lineman Mehki Butler and defensive tackle Isaiah Iton official. All four players had participated in camp over the weekend.

Pene played in 34 games at Virginia Tech, finishing his tenure with the Hokies having compiled 63 total tackles with four sacks. The 6’2” 283-pound lineman played in all 13 games last season and finished with 33 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. Pene, a native of Tours, France, was the only foreign-born player on Virginia Tech’s roster.

As such, the Patriots will receive an international exemption for Pene, who will not count towards their 90-man roster limit. Established in 2017, the International Player Pathway program provides players born outside the United States greater opportunity to seek an NFL roster spot. Though he originally agreed to a sign a free agent contract as an undrafted rookie shortly after the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, Pene’s deal was not recognized by the NFL transaction wire until May 12.

In a corresponding move, the Patriots released Birdow. The 24-year-old signed with the club as a rookie free agent out of Merrimack. The 6’5” 316-pound defender, began his college career as a defensive lineman at Old Dominion before transferring to Merrimack, where he was converted to an offensive tackle.

With the signings of Butler and Iton — as well as Birdow’s release — the Patriots roster currently stands at its 90-man limit.

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