Patriots sign Martin off p-squad, release McDonald

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FOXBORO -- The Patriots made some adjustments to the back end of their roster on Thursday, giving themselves some depth at the linebacker position.

The team promoted linebacker Eric Martin off of the practice squad and onto the 53-man roster. It also released safety Dewey McDonald, leaving the active roster at 52 players. 

Martin joins Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Jerod Mayo, Jonathan Freeny and Jonathan Bostic as the team's active 'backers. Collins, however, sat out last Sunday's game against Washington and has missed each of the last two Patriots practices due to illness. With his status for this weekend seemingly in doubt, Martin gives the team some insurance at that position as well as a presence in the kicking game. 

Martin opened the season on the Patriots active roster out of training camp and played against the Steelers in Week 1 as a core special teamer. He was released two days later and re-signed to the practice squad on Sep. 16. A member of the Browns under former Cleveland GM -- and current assistant to the Patriots coaching staff -- Mike Lombardi, Martin was initially signed to the Patriots practice squad last year on Dec. 29. 

McDonald was claimed off of waivers from the Colts late last month, one day before New England's Thursday night matchup with the Dolphins. He was not active for that game but played as a special teamer against Washington last weekend. 

The Patriots also announced that they have signed defensive lineman Robert Thomas to their practice squad. At 6-foot-1, 336 pounds, Thomas rounds out the team's 10-man practice unit. He spent the early portion of this season on the Seahawks practice squad, but the Patriots got an up-close look at him last year during joint practices with Washington, which is where he spent the majority of last season as a practice-squad player.  

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