Brian A. Westerholt/Getty ImagesFormer Patriots cornerback Darius Butler with the Panthers.
This week's "Catching up with former Pats" update leads off with cornerback Darius Butler, who started for the Panthers in Sunday's blowout win over the Buccaneers. Butler was stepping in for Captain Munnerlyn, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve, and he finished with three tackles and one pass defended.
Butler has appeared in 12 games this season for the Panthers, with five starts.
In addition to Butler, offensive tackle Steve Maneri (Chiefs) earned his first career NFL start, playing as a tight end. Dolphins tight end Will Yeatman also earned his first career NFL start, against the Patriots.
Meanwhile, Bills tight end Lee Smith landed on season-ending injured reserve (ankle).
For a game-by-game breakdown of players who were with the Patriots in 2011 training camp but are now with new teams, click the full entry.
OL Thomas Austin (Texans)
Week 16: Dresses but does not play in a 19-16 road loss to the Colts
Week 15: Active for his first career game as injuries thin Texans' depth; plays in reserve role in a 28-13 home loss to Panthers
Week 14: Inactive in a 20-19 road win over the Bengals
Week 13: Inactive in a 17-10 home win over the Falcons
Week 12: Inactive in a 20-13 road win over the Jaguars
Week 11: Bye
Week 10: Inactive in a 37-9 blowout win over the Buccaneers
Week 9: Inactive in a 30-12 home win over the Browns
Week 8: Inactive in a 24-14 home win over the Jaguars
Week 7: Inactive in a 41-7 road win over the Titans
Week 6: Inactive in a 29-14 loss to the Texans
Week 5: Inactive in a 25-20 home loss to the Raiders
Week 4: Inactive in a 17-10 home win over the Steelers
Week 3: Inactive in a 40-33 loss at New Orleans
Week 2: Inactive in a 23-13 win at Miami
Week 1: Inactive in 34-7 blowout of the Colts
CB Darius Butler (Panthers)
Week 16: Starts at right cornerback in a 48-16 home win over Buccaneers; totals 3 tackles and 1 pass defended
Week 15: Inactive for a 28-13 road win over Houston with a concussion
Week 14: Plays in a reserve role in 31-23 home loss to Falcons and records 2 passes defended; reportedly shows concussion-like symptoms on Monday
Week 13: Plays as an extra defensive back in a 38-19 road win over the Bucs; totals 4 tackles
Week 12: Dresses and sees plenty of action in 27-19 road win at Indianapolis; finishes with 3 tackles
Week 11: Dresses but does not play in 49-35 road loss at Detroit
Week 10: Plays as extra defensive back in blowout loss to Tennessee; totals 3 tackles
Week 9: Bye
Week 8: Inactive in a 24-21 home loss to the Vikings with his daughter undergoing heart surgery
Week 7: Starts as a fifth defensive back and finishes with 5 tackles and 1 pass defended in a 33-20 home win over the Redskins
Week 6: Starts as a fifth defensive back and finishes with one tackle in a 31-17 loss at Atlanta
Week 5: Starts as a fifth DB in a 30-27 home loss to the Saints; totals 5 tackles and 2 passes defended
Week 4: Starts in place of injured Chris Gamble in a 34-29 road loss to the Bears and totals 3 tackles
Week 3: Active as a backup and totals 3 tackles with 1 pass defended in team's 16-10 win over the Jaguars
Week 2: Active as a backup but doesn't show up on stat sheet in 30-23 home loss to the Packers
Week 1: Active and plays sparingly in 28-21 loss to Cardinals, and doesn't show up on stat sheet
DL Albert Haynesworth (Buccaneers)
Week 16: Inactive in a 48-16 road loss to the Panthers
Week 15: Starts in a 31-15 home loss to Cowboys; totals 5 tackles and 1 pass deflected as Buccaneers have yet to win game with him on roster
Week 14: Starts and has 1 tackle and 1 quarterback hit in a 41-14 road loss to the Jaguars
Week 13: Starts and has 1 tackle in a 38-19 home loss to the Panthers
Week 12: Starts and totals 4 tackles (2 for a loss) in a 23-17 road loss at Tennessee
Week 11: Starts and totals 1 tackle and 1 quarterback hit in a 35-26 loss at Green Bay
Week 10: Blocks an extra point and totals 5 tackles in blowout loss to Houston
Week 9: Released by Patriots
OL Mark LeVoir (Ravens/Rams)
Week 16: Dresses as a reserve in a 27-0 road loss to the Steelers
Week 15: Inactive in a 20-13 home loss to the Bengals
Week 14: Starts at left tackle in the team's Monday Night Football game at Seattle
Week 13: Dresses as a reserve in a 26-0 road loss to the 49ers
Week 12: Inactive in a 23-20 home loss to the Cardinals
Week 11: Starts at left tackle in a 24-7 home loss to the Saints
Week 10: Dresses as a reserve in 13-12 road win over the Browns
Week 9: Bye
Week 8: Signed by the Rams; dresses as a backup in 31-21 home win over Saints
Week 7: Released
Week 6: Inactive in a 29-14 win over the Texans
Week 5: Bye
Week 4: Dresses as a backup in a 34-17 home win over the Jets
Week 3: Inactive in a 37-7 win at St. Louis
Week 2: Starts at left guard in a 26-13 loss at Tennessee
Week 1: Active as a backup in 35-7 win over Steelers
OL Steve Maneri (Chiefs)
Week 16: Starts as a big tight end in a 16-13 home loss in overtime to the Raiders
Week 15: Dresses as a reserve in a 19-14 home win over the previously unbeaten Packers
Week 14: Dresses as a reserve in a 37-10 road loss to the Jets
Week 13: Dresses as a reserve in a 10-3 road win over the Bears; being used as a big blocking tight end at times
Week 12: Dresses and catches a pass as an eligible receiver in a 13-9 home loss to the Steelers, with Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu injured on the play
Week 11: Inactive in a 34-3 road loss to the Patriots
Week 10: Inactive in 17-10 home loss to the Broncos
Week 9: Inactive in a 31-3 home loss to the Dolphins
Week 8: Inactive in Monday Night Football game against Chargers
Week 7: Inactive in a 28-0 road win over the Raiders
Week 6: Bye
Week 5: Inactive in a 28-24 road win over the Colts
Week 4: Inactive in a 22-17 home win over the Vikings
Week 3: Inactive in a 20-17 loss at San Diego
Week 2: Inactive in 48-3 loss at Detroit
Week 1: Dresses but does not play in 41-7 loss to Bills
S Brandon Meriweather (Bears)
Week 16: Dresses as a reserve in a 35-21 road loss to the Packers; doesn't register on the stat sheet
Week 15: Dresses as a reserve and totals 6 tackles, tied for second on the team, in a 38-14 home loss to the Seahawks
Week 14: Dresses but does not register a tackle in a 13-10 road loss to the Broncos
Week 13: Dresses but does not play in a 10-3 home loss to the Chiefs
Week 12: Plays in a reserve role in a 25-20 road loss to the Raiders; 1 assisted tackle
Week 11: Plays in a reserve role in 31-20 home win over the Chargers; totals 3 tackles
Week 10: Plays in a reserve role in win over Lions; totals 3 tackles
Week 9: Plays in a reserve role in win over Eagles; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 8: Bye
Week 7: Active but does not play in a 24-18 win over the Buccaneers in London
Week 6: Dresses but does not play in a 39-10 home win over the Vikings
Week 5: Starts at free safety and totals 3 tackles; chases multiple plays in secondary to no avail
Week 4: Starts at free safety and totals 7 tackles and 1 pass defended in a 34-29 home win over the Panthers
Week 3: Starts at free safety and finishes with 3 tackles and 1 pass defended in a 27-17 home loss to the Packers
Week 2: Starts at free safety (with Chris Harris inactive) and finishes with 4 tackles in a 30-13 loss at New Orleans
Week 1: Plays in a reserve role and finishes with 2 tackles as Bears roll over the Falcons, 30-12
RB Sammy Morris (Cowboys)
Week 16: Leads the Cowboys with 13 carries and totals 29 yards in a 20-7 home loss to the Eagles; adds four catches for 10 yards
Week 15: Signs with Cowboys after DeMarco Murray injury and rushes for 53 yards on 12 carries in 31-15 road win over Buccaneers
WR Taylor Price (Jaguars)
Week 16: Dresses but does not play in a 24-17 road loss to the Titans
Week 15: Finishes with 2 receptions for a team-high 39 yards in a 41-14 road loss to the Falcons
Week 14: Inactive in a 41-14 home win over the Buccaneers
S James Sanders (Falcons)
Week 16: Dresses as a reserve in 45-16 road loss to Saints and totals 1 special teams tackle
Week 15: Returns to a reserve role and doesn't show up on the stat sheet in a 41-14 home win over the Jaguars
Week 14: Starts in a 31-23 win at Carolina and totals 1 tackle
Week 13: Starts in a 17-10 loss at Houston; totals 10 tackles and recovers a fumble
Week 12: Starts again at safety because of injuries; totals 8 tackles in 24-14 home win over Vikings
Week 11: Starts at safety in place of injured William Moore in 23-17 home win over Titans; totals 4 tackles
Week 10: Starts at safety in place of injured William Moore and finishes with 5 tackles in overtime loss to Saints
Week 9: Comes on after injury to William Moore and finishes with 1 tackle in 31-7 road win over Colts
Week 8: Bye
Week 7: Active but does not show up on the stat sheet in a 23-16 road win at Detroit
Week 6: Inactive in 31-17 win over the Panthers
Week 5: Plays in a reserve role in a 25-14 home loss to the Packers; finishes with 4 tackles and 1 pass defended
Week 4: Plays as a reserve in a 30-28 road win over the Seahawks, credited with a pass defended and special teams tackle
Week 3: Plays as a reserve in a 16-13 loss at Tampa and doesn't register on the stat sheet
Week 2: Starts at safety in a 35-31 home win over the Eagles, and totals 3 tackles
Week 1: Doesn't start and doesn't show up on the stat sheet in Falcons' 30-12 loss to the Bears
TE Lee Smith (Bills)
Week 16: Does not play; placed on season-ending injured reserve after sustaining an ankle injury in Week 15 loss to Dolphins
Week 15: Starts but doesn't show up on stat sheet in 30-23 home loss to the Dolphins
Week 14: With top TE Scott Chandler inactive, gets the start in a 37-10 road loss to the Chargers; totals 1 reception for no gain
Week 13: Records the first 3 receptions of his NFL career (for 11 yards) in a 23-17 home loss to Titans, playing behind Scott Chandler
Week 12: Gets his first career start with Bills opening in two-TE package; doesn't show up on stat sheet in 28-24 road loss to Jets
Week 11: Inactive in a 35-8 road loss to the Dolphins
Week 10: Active in a blowout loss to the Cowboys; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 9: Active in a 27-11 home loss to the Jets; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 8: Active in a 23-0 win over the Redskins in Toronto; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 7: Bye
Week 6: Active in a 27-24 road loss to the Giants; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 5: Active in a 31-24 home win over the Eagles; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 4: Active in a 23-20 road loss to the Bengals; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 3: Inactive in 34-31 home win over the Patriots
Week 2: Inactive in 38-35 home win over the Raiders
Week 1: Rookie is inactive in 41-7 win over the Chiefs
WR Brandon Tate (Bengals)
Week 16: Two kickoff returns for 40 yards, and one punt return for 2 yards in a 23-16 home win over Cardinals
Week 15: Four kickoff returns for 101 yards and 2 punt returns for 71 yards in 20-13 road win over Rams
Week 14: Two kickoff returns for 33 yards and 1 fair catch on a punt in a 20-19 home loss to the Texans
Week 13: Four kickoff returns for 103 yards and 5 punt returns for 54 yards in a 35-7 road loss to Steelers; loses a fumble on one kickoff return
Week 12: Four kickoff returns for 90 yards and 2 punt returns for minus-5 yards in 23-20 home win over Browns
Week 11: Four punt returns for 24 yards in 31-24 road loss to Ravens
Week 10: Two kickoff returns for 56 yards and four punt returns for 43 yards in 24-17 loss to the Steelers
Week 9: Three kickoff returns for 51 yards and 5 punt returns for 9 yards in a 24-17 win at Tennessee
Week 8: Scores on a 56-yard punt return in a 34-12 win at Seattle; adds four kickoff returns for 113 yards
Week 7: Bye
Week 6: Two punt returns for 35 yards (long of 33); 2 kickoff returns for 55 yards in a 27-17 home win over Colts
Week 5: Three punt returns for 43 yards; 3 kickoff returns for 76 yards
Week 4: Returns 7 punts for 69 yards in 23-20 home win over the Bills; adds 3 kickoff returns for 66 yards
Week 3: Returns 3 punts for 31 yards with 3 fair catches; 2 kickoff returns for 50 yards
Week 2: Returns five punts for 29 yards (5.8 avg.) in a 24-22 loss at Denver; no kickoff returns as all were touchbacks
Week 1: Handles punt returns and kickoff returns in 27-17 win over Browns; finishes with 1 punt return for 15 yards and 3 fair catches, and has four kickoff returns for 92 yards, with a long of 35
CB Jonathan Wilhite (Broncos)
Week 16: Leads the Broncos with two special teams tackles in a 40-14 road loss to the Bills
Week 15: Dresses but does not register any statistics in a 41-23 home loss to the Patriots
Week 14: Dresses but does not register any statistics in a 13-10 home win over the Bears
Week 13: Dresses and records one special teams tackle in a 35-32 road win over the Vikings
Week 12: Dresses for 16-13 road win over Chargers; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 11: Dresses for 17-13 home win over Jets; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 10: Dresses for 17-10 road win over Chiefs; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 9: Dresses for a 38-24 road win over the Raiders; doesn't show up on stat sheet
Week 8: Plays in a scaled-back reserve role and totals 1 tackle in a 45-10 home loss to the Lions
Week 7: Starts as a fifth defensive back; leads team with 11 tackles and adds 1 quarterback hit in 18-15 win at Miami
Week 6: Bye
Week 5: Inactive in 29-24 loss to the Chargers at home.
Week 4: Nickelback gets the start in a 49-23 loss at Green Bay, finishes with four tackles and an interception
Week 3: Active as a reserve and registers a sack, 2 quarterback hits, 1 pass defended and 6 tackles in a 17-14 loss at Tennessee
Week 2: Active as a reserve and registers a sack and 4 tackles in a 24-22 home win over the Bengals
Week 1: Active as a reserve and doesn't register on the stat sheet in a 23-20 home loss to the Raiders
TE Will Yeatman (Dolphins)
Week 16: Starts and is targeted with one pass (incomplete) in a 27-24 road loss to Patriots
Week 15: Dresses for first NFL game; doesn't show up on stat sheet in 30-23 road win over Bills
Week 14: Inactive in a 26-10 home loss to the Eagles
Week 13: Inactive in a 34-14 home win over the Raiders
Week 12: Inactive in a 20-19 road loss to the Cowboys
Week 11: Inactive in a 35-8 home win over the Bills
Week 10: Inactive in a 20-9 home win over the Redskins
Week 9: Inactive in a 31-3 road win over the Chiefs
Week 8: Inactive in a 20-17 loss at the Giants
Week 7: Inactive in an 18-15 home loss to the Broncos
Week 6: Inactive vs. Jets
Week 5: Bye
Week 4: Inactive in a 26-16 loss at San Diego
Week 3: Inactive in a 17-16 loss at Cleveland
Week 2: Inactive in 23-13 loss to the Texans
Week 1: Inactive in season-opening 38-24 loss to the Patriots