The Patriots have parted ways with their second defensive line regular in a week, cutting starter Kyle Love with a non-football illness designation after he was diagnosed with diabetes.
Love’s agent, Richard Kopelman, told Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com that Love was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes in the past two weeks.
“Naturally, we are disappointed that the Patriots decided to part ways with Kyle,” Kopelman said. “Especially in light of the fact that a number of elite, professional athletes with diabetes – both Type 1, which is known to be far more difficult to manage than Type 2 diabetes – have had very successful careers in professional football, hockey, baseball, and basketball.”
Kopelman said Love had lost weight prior to his diagnosis, but he’s since changed his diet and regained most of his weight, and wasn’t limited in his workouts.
“Having consulted with leading authorities on the effects of Type 2 diabetes, we have every reason to believe that Kyle will, in the immediate future, be at 100 percent, and will be prepared to participate in training camp in a couple of months,” the agent said. “As Kyle said, ‘there is no way something like this is going to stand between me and a long and successful NFL career.’”
That career is going to have to be somewhere else, and he should get the opportunity.
He started 11 games last year, splitting time next to Vince Wilfork with the just-waived Brandon Deadrick, who was claimed by the Jaguars.
The Patriots brought in free agent Tommy Kelly and CFL standout Armond Armstead this offseason.
If they simply wanted to upgrade, that’s fine. But cutting a player who was useful to them when he found out he was sick underscores the cold nature of the business, such that anyone still wondered about that.