FOXBOROUGH, Mass.- Former Madison Academy star receiver Jordan Matthews was released by the New England Patriots after suffering a right hamstring injury in the fourth day of pre-season practice for the NFL team. The five-time Super Bowl Champions reached an agreement with Matthews that will allow him to play again if healthy.

Matthews, 26, signed with New England as an unrestricted free agent from the Buffalo Bills on April 6 for a one-year $1-million contract with a $300,000 guarantee. He was trying to get a fulltime slot on the recent Super Bowl runner-up squad.

He’s currently going through rehabilitation on his hamstring and hopes to be back 100-percent within a month to resume his football activities. The agreement with the Patriots includes the option of his signing with a different team before he rejoins New England.

Matthews played college at the Vanderbilt setting numerous SEC records in the process before being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles for whom he played three seasons before playing for the Buffalo Bills in 2017. With the Bills, he was limited to 10 games where he caught 25 catches for 282 yards and one touchdown.

In Philadelphia for three seasons he caught 225 passes for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns.

The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Matthews suffered a similar pre-season incident in 2017 as he suffered what was described as a “chip fracture” in his sternum in his first practice with the Bills. He came back from that injury to play in 10 games in 2017, but he also was limited on playing time due to a fractured thumb and a slight knee injury.