Chukwuma Okorafor ineligible to return to Patriots this season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Veteran offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor will not play another down for the New England Patriots in 2024.
Okorafor was placed on the exempt/left squad list on Saturday. The 27-year-old reportedly left the team to “ponder his future” in the NFL.
The Patriots moved Okorafor from the exempt/left squad list to the reserve/left squad on Thursday, per ESPN’s Field Yates. Teams are granted a five-day exemption when moving a player to the left squad list, but if the player does not return within five days, his season is over.
Five days have passed since Okorafor’s placement on the exempt/left squad list, so he can’t return to the team this season.
Prior to Thursday Night Football, the Patriots moved OT Chuks Okorafor from the exempt/left squad list to the reserve/left squad list.
A team is granted a 5-day exemption when moving a player to the left squad list, but if the player does not return within 5 days, his season is…
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 19, 2024
Okorafor doesn’t take up a spot on the Patriots’ 53-man roster and his contract will toll.
New England signed Okorafor in March to address their glaring need at the tackle position. Primarily a right tackle throughout his previous six NFL seasons in Pittsburgh, Okorafor was asked to move to left tackle for the Patriots. The experiment lasted only 12 plays in the regular-season opener vs. Cincinnati before he was benched for Vederian Lowe.
Without Okorafor and Lowe (knee injury), the Patriots will likely start rookie Caedan Wallace at left tackle in Thursday night’s game vs. the New York Jets. Kickoff for the divisional matchup is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.
