Worthy passes physical, completes trade with Patriots

Jerel Worthy is no longer a member of the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers' trade of the 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman to New England showed up on the NFL transaction wire Wednesday, meaning the former second-round pick passed his physical.

A league source told Press-Gazette Media Tuesday night the Patriots will send a seventh-round pick to the Packers if Worthy makes the team.

It ends Worthy's brief injury-riddle stint with the Packers, who traded a second- and fourth-round pick in 2012 to move up to select him with the 51st overall pick.

"You spend so much time with these guys that they become important, not as players as people," defensive line coach Mike Trgovac said. "You always hate to see people you work with go, but that's life in the NFL. I've been around this long enough to know that happens."

Worthy, 24, was quiet in his rookie season, registering 23 tackles and 2½ sacks in 14 games before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the 2012 regular-season finale against Minnesota.

He started last season on the physically unable to perform list before being activated in November and seeing action in two games. In February, he suffered a back injury while working out individually, which required surgery and landed him on the non-football injury list at the start of camp.

Worthy became expendable with a surplus of young prospects on the defensive line, including 2013 fifth-round pick Josh Boyd, third-round rookie Khyri Thornton, and Mike Pennel and Carlos Gray, two undrafted rookies the team has taking a shine to.

"I certainly wish him well," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "He had a tough go from the standpoint of the injury part of it. He played as a rookie and since that time he's really been injured where you really couldn't get on the field and do much. I hope everything goes positive for him."