FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Sealver Siliga knows about trying to stand out in a crowd.

The youngest of 11 siblings finally found steady work with the New England Patriots after being let go by three NFL teams.

Now he’s part of a large group of defensive tackles trying to stay with the club.

Siliga played well after being signed late last season. Now he’s taking nothing for granted.

“The time I felt comfortable, I got (traded),” he said Tuesday. “I’ve been around. So I don’t ever let myself feel comfortable because the time I just start feeling comfortable is the time I see the blackout.”

That happened after he spent the entire 2012 season with the Denver Broncos. He played in just one game, made one tackle and was traded to Seattle the following training camp.

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The Seahawks cut him at the end of camp and he went on their practice squad before being released again.

He joined the Patriots practice squad Oct. 23. He was activated a month later and played the last seven games. He started the last six, including two in the playoffs.

“It was big just because last season coming where I came (from) nobody really expected me to do what I did,” Siliga said.

Now comes another challenge.

Starting defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly are healthy after missing most of last season with injuries. Their absence gave backups Chris Jones and Joe Vellano extra playing time before Siliga was signed.

All are back at that position along with first-round draft pick Dominique Easley. The Patriots also added veteran defensive end Will Smith.

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Siliga had one sack in each of his last three regular-season games, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be on the active roster when the season starts.

CARDINALS: Police say linebacker John Abraham fell asleep inside a car on a suburban Atlanta highway and was arrested last month on DUI charges.

SAINTS: Safety Jairus Byrd practiced for the first time since his signing in March.

VIKINGS: The Vikings hired the attorney who investigated the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal and another who played a prominent role in the fight for marriage equality to help in settlement talks with former punter Chris Kluwe.

Ted Wells, whose investigation in Miami found that guard Richie Incognito and two teammates engaged in persistent harassment of lineman Jonathan Martin, and Roberta Kaplan, who argued successfully in front of the Supreme Court last year that a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, were retained.

The two attorneys will engage with Kluwe, who accused the team of cutting him because of his outspoken support of gay marriage.

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GIANTS: Running back David Wilson left practice with a burner injury to his surgically repaired neck.

SEAHAWKS: Tight end Anthony McCoy left practice after being helped to a cart and the team fears he could have a serious Achilles injury to his left leg.

Seattle added depth to the offensive line by signing NFLPA president Eric Winston, and adding cornerback Terrell Thomas and wide receiver Randall Carroll.

PANTHERS: Rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin says he feels “like a new man” and plans to play in preseason games.

Carolina’s first-round draft pick gave the team a scare on Sunday when he injured his left knee during practice.

BRONCOS: Cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who tore his left ACL in the playoffs and underwent surgery after the season, passed his physical and was taken off the PUP list.

BROWNS: Facing an indefinite suspension for marijuana use, wide receiver Josh Gordon hired attorney Maurice Suh to represent him at his appeal hearing with the league this week, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.


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