Patriots release veterans Guy, Phillips
The New England Patriots released defensive lineman Lawrence Guy and safety Adrian Phillips, the team announced Tuesday.
Guy, 33, spent the past seven seasons with New England. He started 103 of 110 games with the franchise and recorded 379 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. He was a member of the Patriots' Super Bowl LIII team that defeated the Los Angeles Rams.
While Guy's contributions on the field were noteworthy, he was also twice nominated as the Patriots' candidate for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, an honor recognizing players who display a commitment to philanthropy and positively impacting the community.
The Arizona State product will seek out his fifth NFL team after other stints with the Indianapolis Colts, the then-San Diego Chargers, and the Baltimore Ravens.
Guy posted a farewell message on X.
Thank you New England you welcomed my family and I for the past seven years and always made us feel at home,the community we build the people we met and the communities we impacted thank you for always welcoming us with open arms. I'm excited to see where this journey takes me. pic.twitter.com/c6Fxf9xPaq
— Lawrence Guy (@thatLGUY) February 19, 2024
Phillips will move on from New England after four seasons. The 31-year-old recorded 284 tackles, 16 passes defended, and six interceptions as a Patriot. The 2018 first-team All-Pro safety joined the AFC East club as a free agent prior to the 2020 season.
New England will clear around $6 million in cap space by cutting Guy and Phillips, according to MassLive's Mark Daniels.
Offensive lineman James Ferentz also announced his retirement Monday after eight years in the NFL, having spent his last six seasons as a member of the Patriots.