Patriots sign T Calvin Anderson, cut backup QB Brian Hoyer

The New England Patriots cut longtime backup quarterback Brian Hoyer for the fourth time in the past 14 years on Thursday and announced they had signed tackle Calvin Anderson as an unrestricted free agent from the Denver Broncos.Anderson, 26, started his NFL career as a rookie free agent with New England after the 2019 draft before being cut in the preseason. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder spent 2019 on the New York Jets practice squad before spending the past three seasons with the Broncos.He played in 41 regular-season games with 12 starts. Seven of those starts came at left tackle in 14 games last season.Hoyer, 37, played in only one game last year — he started at Green Bay on Oct. 2 but was injured early in the game and finished the season on injured reserve.He spent part of eight seasons with the Patriots in four different stints, which had signed him in 2009 as an undrafted free agent following his college career at Michigan State.