Patriots releasing Lawrence Guy, Adrian Phillips

BOSTON -- The New England Patriots are moving on from two veteran defensive players.

The team is releasing defensive lineman Lawrence Guy and safety Adrian Phillips, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero noted that the Patriots are "doing right by Guy" by releasing him early in the offseason, thus enabling him to hit the free-agent market.

Guy, 33, joined the Patriots in 2017, playing 110 regular-season games and eight playoff games for New England. He recorded 379 total tackles with 10.5 sacks in the regular season, and he had 26 tackles with 1.5 sacks in the playoffs.

"Thank you New England you welcomed my family and I for the past seven years and always made us feel at home," Guy wrote on social media after the news broke. "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."

Phillips, 31, joined the Patriots in 2020 and became a critical member of the defense for several years in a box safety role. But his playing time dropped dramatically in 2023, with Phillips taking just 12 percent of New England's defensive snaps.

Phillips played in 67 games foe New England, recording 284 total tackles with six interceptions, one forced fumble, and one sack. 

The two moves clear up $6 million in cap space for the Patriots.