The New England Patriots' path to the Super Bowl is certainly taking an interesting few turns as the team deals with yet another season-ending injury. The Patriots cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries this season as they continue to lose players for the year. Dion Lewis was rule out for the year along with Nate Solder. Julian Edelman is out for the foreseeable future. Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola have both missed time. Now, LeGarrette Blount will join that list as he is being shut down.
According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Blount is done for the season after suffering a left hip injury in the game against the Houston Texans. Blount was the team's leading rusher with 703 yards on the ground and six touchdowns. He has been key to the team over the past two seasons and now will be a big hole on the field going forward. Blount was critical following the loss of Lewis at the start of the season and now the Patriots have to figure out how to move forward.
According to NFL.com's Conor Orr, the Patriots signed Montee Ball to their practice squad on Tuesday. The former second-round draft pick has seen a fall from grace over the past season. He fell to No.3 on the depth chart with the Denver Broncos before being released. He is a quality running back who thrived with Peyton Manning, but he only maned to last 21 games into his rookie contract. Ball could be a good replacement for Blount if he manages to get on the field. The running back has a few 100-yard games to his name, but he struggled with pass protection which led to his release.
It is not clear if the Patriots will activate Ball or not. Head coach Bill Belichick could rely on depth first to see how that works out. The Patriots will immediately turn to Brandon Bolden and James White for help. Bolden and White have seen their moments this season, but it remains to be seen if they can handle the extra work load. The Patriots also have rookie Trey Williams on the practice squad. According to ESPN.com, Bolden is the likely starter for the Patriots while White will be the primary passing back.
The Patriots have to hold that Edelman can get back sooner rather than later in order to give Tom Brady some help. The receiver has been seen on the practice field following a broken foot, but the Boston Herald reports there is no timetable for his return to the field. The Patriots originally said he would not be back until the playoffs which might still be the case.
