FOXBORO -- The Patriots released veteran tight end Marcus Pollard and re-signed undrafted rookie Tyson DeVree yesterday.

Pollard, who was signed to a free-agent deal in April, was beginning his 14th season.

Asked about Pollard during his morning news conference, head coach Bill Belichick said, “We just felt like it wasn’t really going to work out here the way that we had hoped and that he had hoped. But … there is some time before the opener, and I think there are some other teams that are looking for tight ends and maybe there is a better opportunity for him somewhere else; that’s for him to determine. Rather than to do it on the last cut, where his options would be more limited, we felt like in fairness to him and out of respect to him, that he deserved that.”

DeVree was originally signed by New England on May 5 and released June 11. The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder finished his career at Colorado after transferring from Western Michigan.

-SHALISE MANZA YOUNG