Former Patriots first-round pick Dominique Easley is working out for the Rams today, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Easley was waived by the Pats back in March and has been looking for employment ever since. 
Easley, 24, was selected 29th overall in the 2014 draft by the Patriots, despite the fact that he was recovering from a torn ACL at the time. Although he made it back to the field for his rookie season, he was limited to just 11 games, and played in only 11 more in 2015, having been plagued by hip, knee, and ankle issues.
Before he landed on injured reserve in December of 2015, Easley picked up 15 tackles and two sacks in his sophomore NFL season, and received a solid Pro Football Focus grade. Given his decent play when he was healthy, his first-round pedigree, and the fact that he still had guaranteed money remaining on his contract, Easley’s release came as a bit of a surprise, despite his injury woes.
Reportedly, there wasn’t one incident that led to Easley’s release, but rather a confluence of factors. Easley and the team reportedly butted heads over “philosophical differences on following injury programs.” The defensive tackle is also facing a lawsuit in Palm Beach County from a man alleging that he was bit by Easley’s dog and that might not be the only dog-related lawsuit in the pipeline.
According to one report, multiple sources have labeled the 24-year-old as “unreliable and immature,” and an unnamed former teammate referred to him as a “locker room cancer.” One team source told The Boston Globe that Easley built a pretty disastrous reputation for himself during his time in New England.
“I think he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. He comes across as an entitled kid. He reneges on everything. He thinks he’s invincible.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.