New England Patriots waive Ottawa product Jesse Luketa

Photo courtesy: Eric J. Adler/New England Patriots

The New England Patriots have waived Canadian outside linebacker Jesse Luketa as part of their final roster cuts, according to multiple reports.

The 27-year-old must now clear waivers, where he could be claimed by any other NFL team. If he goes unselected, he will become a free agent and will then be eligible to be added to a practice roster if an opportunity arises.

Luketa signed with the Patriots this offseason. In three preseason games, he recorded five defensive tackles. He finished the 2025 season on the Los Angeles Rams’ practice roster, but 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 has earned over $3.2 million during his NFL career.

The Patriots will open the regular season on Wednesday, September 9, when they visit the Seattle Seahawks for a Super Bowl rematch.