Patriots Sign Undrafted Defensive Tackle Travis Shaw and Waive Long Snapper Niko Lalos
The move adds a large interior lineman to New England’s undrafted rookie class while creating a long‑snapper opening that may lead to more roster changes.
Overview
- The Patriots announced the signing of 21‑year‑old defensive tackle Travis Shaw and the waiver of long snapper Niko Lalos, a transaction reported on May 20 that opened a spot on the 91‑man offseason roster.
- Shaw is listed at 6‑foot‑5 and 334 pounds and finished a 50‑game college career at North Carolina and Texas with 68 tackles and two fumble recoveries after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft.
- The team added Shaw as roughly the 15th undrafted rookie in New England’s post‑draft class, a low‑cost evaluation move typical of NFL offseason roster building.
- Lalos, 28, had signed with the Patriots in March after converting from defensive end to long snapper and has prior NFL practice‑squad experience plus a stint in the XFL; his release creates a vacancy behind incumbent Julian Ashby.
- Next steps to watch include rookie minicamps and OTAs where Shaw will compete for depth on the interior defensive line and the Patriots may pursue additional long‑snapper options or hold a competition in camp.