Dwayne Allen discusses Patriots release, whether he'd consider reunion originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com

The New England Patriots releasing Dwayne Allen was in the best interest for both parties, it appears.

The veteran tight end confirmed his release from the Patriots on Saturday to ESPN's Josina Anderson and explained the conversation he had with head coach Bill Belichick on Friday night about the move.

#Pats TE Dwayne Allen to me on his release: "Spoke w/ coach last night. He communicated the team's stand pt of things. I communicated my feelings. Then I hung up the phone. The feelings were mutual abt my involvement. It's just abt getting the numbers to work on both sides [Cont] — ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 2, 2019

Allen would have cost the Patriots $7.3 million against the cap in 2019 for a seemingly limited role in their offense.

A legitimate receiving threat who caught 35 passes for 406 yards and six touchdowns for the Indianapolis Colts in 2016, Allen took a backseat to tight end Rob Gronkowski in New England's passing game, recording just three catches over 13 games in 2018.

While the Patriots need a viable backup for Gronkowski (if he doesn't retire), they likely can find a cheaper option than Allen, who also should find a bigger role elsewhere.

The 29-year-old didn't rule out an eventual reunion with the Pats down the line, however.

"We'll see. We'll see," Allen told Anderson. "This is the business of football. I have a lot of football left in me."

New England could turn to the 2019 NFL Draft for tight end depth, as several prospects could be on the board when they pick at No. 32 overall.

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