NFL PLAYER NEWS

Patriots officially acquire LB Ayers

The Sports Xchange

October 22, 2014 at 10:06 am.

Ayers has been with the Titans since being drafted in the second round (39th overall) of the 2011 draft out of UCLA. He has played in 50 NFL games with 44 starts and has registered 254 total tackles, nine sacks, two interceptions 18 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots officially acquired linebacker Akeem Ayers on Wednesday in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.

Trade terms were not disclosed, but it was reported Tuesday that the trade includes the Patriots giving up a sixth-round draft choice to the Titans for Ayers and Tennessee’s seventh-round pick.

Ayers, 25, had two knee surgeries during the offseason and was active in just two games and played only 10 snaps for the Titans this season. He also struggled in 2013, finishing the season with only 49 tackles and a sack after posting 104 tackles and six sacks in 2012.

Ayers has been with the Titans since being drafted in the second round (39th overall) of the 2011 draft out of UCLA. He has played in 50 NFL games with 44 starts and has registered 254 total tackles, nine sacks, two interceptions 18 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Ayers earned a starting position at linebacker as a rookie in 2011, leading all team linebackers with 88 total tackles. He had a team-leading 110 total tackles with six sacks in 2012.

The Patriots also released linebacker Ja’Gared Davis.

Davis, 24, was signed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Oct. 4. He was signed to the practice squad after being released at the end of training camp. Davis spent the majority of his rookie season in 2013 on the Patriots’ practice squad, but did see action in one regular-season game and both postseason games after being added to the roster.

The 6-foot, 238-pound Davis was originally signed by the Houston Texans as a rookie free agent out of Southern Methodist on May 10, 2013. He was released by Houston on Aug. 27, 2013, and claimed off waivers and awarded to the Patriots on Aug. 28, 2013.

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