Patriots player: 'Injuries and locker room cancer' led to Easley's release

The New England Patriots' decision to release 2014 first-round pick Dominique Easley on Wednesday was reportedly motivated by more than just his injury issues.

Multiple league sources told Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that the defensive tackle was unreliable and immature, and was never a good fit for the Patriots.

"He'll make an appointment for a massage and not show up," one source told Volin. "He's just very disrespectful and irresponsible."

Added another source: "I think he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. He comes across as an entitled kid. He reneges on everything. He thinks he's invincible."

Easley's release apparently didn't come as much of a surprise to his former teammates, either.

"Saw that coming," an unnamed Patriots player said. "Injuries and locker room cancer."

A highly touted prospect out of Florida, Easley was projected as an early first-round pick before tearing his ACL a second time. Lingering knee issues caused him to miss five games in his rookie season, and he was limited to 11 games in 2015 due to knee, hip, and ankle injuries.

Easley repeatedly ignored requests from the Patriots to rehab his injuries with the team's trainers, according to Volin, instead rehabbing alone. The Patriots became so fed up with him during his rookie season that after placing him on injured reserve in December, they told him to rehab away from the team until offseason workouts began in April, Volin reports.

The Patriots "never liked him from the get-go, and part of the problem was he would never listen to the medical advice," a source said.

Easley reportedly felt the same way, telling people privately that he wanted out of New England. He got his wish, and must now wait and see if another team claims him off waivers.