The 22-year-old center/guard was one of three offensive linemen taken by the Patriots in the 2020 draft, along with guard Michael Onwenu (sixth round) and tackle Justin Herron (sixth round).Why is Woodard retiring? Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the team has signed former Cardinals, Falcons and Ravens cornerback Justin Bethel. My guy is going to be Anfernee Jennings, but I do think that's a battle.

His vertical leap of 39½ inches was the highest of any defensive player who attended the combine. ESPN's Mike Reiss reported additional details:The Patriots signed center Tyler Gauthier on Wednesday in a move that adds some depth to the position following Woodard's retirement. He generated six tackles and had two fumble recoveries and played almost exclusively on special teams (he had just five defensive snaps on the season).Finally, the New England Patriots are back on the field at Gillette Stadium.The new-look Pats had their first practice of 2020 on Wednesday, which means training camp position battles are officially underway. ESPN's Field Yates has reported that former Baltimore Ravens defensive back Justin Bethel met with the defending Super Bowl champions. He also proved himself a consistent playmaker by not just registering six tackles — tied for fourth most on the team despite not being on the roster for seven games — as well as two fumble recoveries. Let's move past that, we've talked enough about that, we both think Cam is going to win the job. But I'm going to be real interested to see how Dugger competes ... he's an athletic unicorn.

This is a four-way cage match between Chase Winovich, Anfernee Jennings, Shilique Calhoun, and Brandon Copeland. Bethel inked a deal with the Patriots during the 2019 season after being cut by the Baltimore Ravens. Only Board, Chris Moore, Chuck Clark, and Tyus Bowser played more for the Ravens.

Despite his success as a cornerback, however, Bethel did not return to the Cardinals as a free agent in 2018. While it's technically a battle between Newton and Stidham, some believe it's a foregone conclusion Newton will be the Week 1 starter.

The former Pro Bowl special teamer came in and helped what was already one of the better special teams units in the league get even better.Bethel should be healthy in time for the 2020 season, and that will be key for the Patriots. On March 9, 2012, Bethel participated at Presbyteria… The following Sunday, he was already on the field in a Patriots uniform, playing 22 of a possible 32 snaps as a member of the team’s kick coverage and field goal/extra point blocking units — a sign of things to come: the former sixth-round draft pick established himself as a core special teamer shortly after his arrival in Foxborough.As such, Bethel appeared in all nine remaining regular season games and the Patriots’ lone playoff contest and was on the field for 230 of a possible 283 kicking game snaps over that time (81.3%): he played on both kickoff and punt teams, and also saw regular action on field goal and extra point blocking units. He received an invitation to the NFL Combineand completed all of the required combine drills.

From 2015 through 2017, he served as the Cardinals’ number three cornerback and registered four interceptions — with three of them being returned for touchdowns — as well as three fumble recoveries. "Curran and Perry also discuss the burning questions surrounding the Patriots, why the Pats should explore using the triple option, One of the New England Patriots' 2020 draft picks has decided to retire before his rookie season began.The team announced Thursday it has placed offensive lineman Dustin Woodard on the reserve/retired list.Woodard, who played college football at the University of Memphis, was selected by the Patriots in the seventh round (230th overall) of April's draft. DB Justin Bethel, cut yesterday by the Ravens to preserve a compensatory pick in 2020, visited the Patriots today.

Bethel played exclusively on special teams for the Atlanta Falcons last season.

Or is it last year's guy, Gunner [Olszewski]? The team said the reason for Bethel’s release was to ensure that the team received a fourth-round compensatory draft choice next spring. Kicker Justin Tucker’s Ravens jersey may be the most popular in some sections at home games, but Bethel knows that special teams execution can … The 29-year-old is under contract for the upcoming season unlike a couple of other core special teamers the Patriots have, Matthew Slater and Nate Ebner.The duo certainly could return to the Patriots, but Bethel's presence will at least give the Pats an insurance policy if either Slater or Ebner doesn't return.Bethel played in nine regular season games for the Patriots in 2019.