FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots released veteran linebacker Sione Takitaki on Wednesday, a move that seems to reflect first-year coach Mike Vrabel's influence in shaping the roster.
Takitaki had signed a two-year contract as a free agent last offseason, with a base value of $6.6645 million and a maximum value of $10.245 million. The deal included $3.125 million guaranteed.
Takitaki, 29, had been a favorite of Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf going back to Wolf's two-year tenure with the Cleveland Browns, with whom Takitaki spent the first five years of his career.