The New England Patriots are signing Canadian outside linebacker Jesse Luketa to a one-year contract, according to a report from NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.
Luketa signed with the Los Angeles Rams in November and finished the season on their practice roster. He did not appear in any games and was not retained after the season.
The native of Edmonton, Alta., who was raised in Ottawa, Ont., was a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He played 31 regular-season games with the team over three seasons, making three starts and recording 35 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble.
Luketa recorded 151 defensive tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, eight pass knockdowns, 0.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery, during his collegiate career at Penn State University. He was named a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the conference’s coaches in 2021.
The six-foot-three, 253-pound defender’s CFL rights belong to the Ottawa Redblacks, who selected him in the second round of the 2022 CFL Draft. He is not expected to make his way north anytime soon, having earned over $3.2 million during his NFL career.
The New England Patriots went 14-3 last season, finishing first in the AFC East. They advanced to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
