Dion Lewis Needs Second Knee Surgery; Sebastian Vollmer To IR
Patriots running back Dion Lewis, who tore his ACL last November, will need a second knee surgery, according to Jim McBride of The Boston Globe (via Twitter). Interestingly, this report came on the heels of a tweet from NESN’s Doug Kyed, who indicated that Lewis had just walked into the team’s locker room with no knee brace. Kyed, however, subsequently deferred to McBride’s report.
Luckily for the Patriots, Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com reports that, although the nature of the procedure is not yet known, it does not involve the ACL or any other ligaments. Depending upon when he has the procedure, it should be about eight to 10 weeks before Lewis can begin training, which means he will begin the season on the PUP list.
Lewis was a key cog of New England’s offense before his ACL tear, rushing 49 times for 234 yards and catching 36 passes for 388 yards. He also scored four total touchdowns, two through the air and two on the ground. After just three games with the club, Lewis signed a team-friendly, two-year extension that gave the diminutive back–who had not played a single regular season snap between 2012 and 2015–some much-needed financial security. He tore his ACL a month later.
It was reported just two weeks ago that Lewis had not suffered a setback in his recovery, and that he was still on track to play Week 1. Now, players like James White and James Develin could see their playing time increase, and while White has been solid in the preseason, Lewis’ injury is still a major blow, particularly in light of Tom Brady‘s suspension.
As if that was not bad enough, McBride also tweets that offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, who has been on the PUP list with an undisclosed injury, will be placed on IR. It is unclear whether he will land on season-ending IR, or if he will be given a “Designated to Return” status, though Kyed suspects that Vollmer’s season will indeed be over, since the Patriots could have just kept Vollmer on the PUP list if they expected him to return this year.
Vollmer, when healthy, has been a mainstay at tackle for New England since 2009. However, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Vollmer as the 42nd-best tackle out of 77 qualified players last season, and he was thought to be on the roster bubble earlier this year. His contract is set to expire at the end of the 2016 campaign, and Marcus Cannon will likely serve as the team’s starting right tackle in Vollmer’s absence.
McBride was not done delivering bad news, as he also tweeted that second-year guard Shaq Mason suffered a broken right hand and will be out indefinitely. As Albert Breer of TheMMQB tweets, these injury reports are especially unwelcome for New England, as running back and offensive line are the only two real question marks on the team’s roster.
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Tom Brady Suffers Thumb Injury
Quarterback Tom Brady was supposed to start the Patriots’ preseason game against the Bears on Thursday, but the 39-year-old ended up leaving Gillette Stadium beforehand. It turns out Brady sliced his right thumb with a pair of scissors prior to the game, reports Tom Curran of CSNNE.com.
It’s unknown whether Brady needed stitches, per Curran, and there’s no timetable for his return. Via text, agent Don Yee informed reporters – including Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link) – that Brady “will be okay in time.” That’s a vague statement from Yee, whose client is already set to miss the first four games of the regular season as a result of a suspension for his role in the Deflategate scandal.
Brady’s temporary replacement, third-year man Jimmy Garoppolo, got the start and finished the first half 12 of 16 for 123 yards and a touchdown. He went 11 of 18 for 168 yards in the Patriots’ preseason opener against the Saints last week.
Brady also didn’t face New Orleans, and in the event he misses New England’s remaining two exhibition contests, it would mean a wide gap in game action for the four-time Super Bowl champion. Brady last took the field against another team Jan. 24, when the Pats lost the AFC title game in Denver, and his debut this year is set for Oct. 9 versus the Browns. In the meantime, he’ll sit out regular-season matchups against the Cardinals, Dolphins, Texans and Bills.
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Patriots Suspend Alan Branch
5:55pm: Branch violated team rules in some fashion, but the club doesn’t regard it as a “big deal,” a source informed Howe. Therefore, the writer doesn’t expect it to impact Branch’s standing on the roster.
5:06pm: Branch’s suspension will only be for “a few days,” a source told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). It doesn’t appear to be a particularly serious issue, then. However, it’s nonetheless another off-field check against Branch.
4:27pm: Patriots defensive lineman Alan Branch has informed his teammates that he has received a suspension, reports Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter link). Both the cause and length of the suspension are unknown at this time, but Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com tweets that the Patriots, not the NFL, are disciplining Branch. Notably, Branch’s previous employer – Buffalo – cut him in August 2014 after DUI arrest.
On the heels of his release from the Bills, Branch joined the AFC East rival Pats, though his tenure in New England hadn’t gone that smoothly even before the news of a suspension. Branch skipped the Patriots’ offseason workout program and arrived to training camp overweight and out of shape a year ago. That came after the Patriots awarded a two-year, $6MM deal to Branch, who served as a depth piece for the then-reigning Super Bowl champions.
In Branch’s second year with the Patriots, he took on a bigger role in starting 15 of their 16 regular-season games and appearing in 39.4 percent of the club’s defensive snaps. The 31-year-old logged 31 tackles, two forced fumbles and a sack in the process, also ranking an impressive 36th in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 123 qualified interior D-linemen (subscription required). New England then picked up Branch’s $400K bonus for 2016 with the intention of keeping him.
In the event the team decides to move on from Branch, cutting him would save $2.4MM against its cap. Along with Branch, Malcom Brown and Terrance Knighton currently headline the Pats’ group of interior D-linemen (depth chart).
A 2007 second-round pick out of Michigan, Branch previously spent time with the Cardinals and Seahawks before heading to the AFC East in 2013. The 350-pounder has registered 118 appearances (64 starts), 218 tackles, nine sacks and four forced fumbles during his nine-year career.
Lions LB Jon Bostic Out 6-12 Weeks
TUESDAY, 6:25pm: Bostic will be out for 6-12 weeks, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. That timeline is obviously pretty wide-ranging, but Bostic could be a candidate for injured reserve/designated to return.
MONDAY, 8:00pm: Lions linebacker Jon Bostic had surgery today and will be sidelined indefinitely, head coach Jim Caldwell told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). When asked by Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) to specify what part of the body Bostic had surgery on, Caldwell said: “I’m not going to be clear. He just, he had surgery.”
[RELATED: Offseason In Review — Detroit Lions]
Bostic, a former second-round pick, represented the first deal between Lions general manager Bob Quinn and his former team, as Detroit acquired Bostic from the Patriots in May. The former Florida Gator is no stranger to being traded after a September swap shipped him from the Bears to the Pats. In 2015, he appeared in eleven games (one start) for New England, recording two tackles.
Not long ago, however, Bostic was looked at as a promising youngster. As a rookie with the Bears, Bostic played in all 16 games with nine starts on the year. In total, he notched 57 tackles, two sacks, and an interception in 2013. He followed that up in 2014 with a career high of 83 tackles.
The trade that sent Bostic to Detroit was based around a conditional seventh-round pick, so if Bostic is not able to play during the upcoming season, it’s fair to assume that the Patriots won’t be receiving any compensation. Bostic isn’t a vested veteran, so he’d have to be waived/injured and clear waivers before being placed on injured reserve, as Birkett tweets. The Lions might not want to risk exposing Bostic to waivers, hence their reluctance to place him on IR just yet.
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Brock Vereen To Retire
TUESDAY, 4:38pm: This is odd, but Vereen has been reinstated from the retirement list after 24 hours. It’s not clear if Vereen still plans on playing football, but regardless, he has been released by the Pats, Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald tweets.
5:54pm: Former fourth-round pick Brock Vereen will retire after spending only two seasons in the NFL, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). The Patriots have placed Vereen on the reserve/retired list.
Vereen, a safety, was selected by the Bears out of Minnesota in the 2014 draft, and was an immediate contributor, appearing in all 16 games (starting four) while posting 30 tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble. His playing time dwindled during his sophomore campaign, however, and Vereen was eventually waived at the start of the 2015 season.
Vereen, who turns 24 years old on Wednesday, subsequently spent time on the practice squads of Minnesota and New England before signing a futures deal with the Pats earlier this year. According to Howe, Vereen had been having a solid camp with the Patriots, so one has to wonder if there is some underlying cause to this sudden news.
Vereen is the younger brother of Giants running back Shane Vereen.
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Patriots Notes: Harbor, Pascoe, Hankerson
- The Patriots don’t need wide receivers, but Kyed (on Twitter) believes that they could have some interest in Leonard Hankerson, who was released by the Bills on Monday. The Pats, he notes, waived Hankerson last year with the intention of bringing him back before Buffalo swooped in. In 2012 with the Redskins, Hankerson caught 38 passes for 543 yards and three touchdowns. He has not been able to produce on that level in the last three seasons, however.
- Doug Kyed and Zack Cox of NESN.com do not believe that tight ends Clay Harbor and Bear Pascoe will make the Patriots‘ 53-man roster. Instead, both writers see A.J. Derby getting the third TE spot in New England to back up Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett. Harbor only recently returned from an injury and Derby has performed better than him so far in camp.
- The Patriots don’t need wide receivers, but Kyed (on Twitter) believes that they could have some interest in Leonard Hankerson, who was released by the Bills on Monday. The Pats, he notes, waived Hankerson last year with the intention of bringing him back before Buffalo swooped in. In 2012 with the Redskins, Hankerson caught 38 passes for 543 yards and three touchdowns. He has not been able to produce on that level in the last three seasons, however.
Patriots Looking At O’Brien Schofield
Former Falcons outside linebacker O’Brien Schofield is still without a team, but he might be closing in on finding his next NFL home. The veteran is currently mulling six offers, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (on Twitter). Schofield, who worked out for the Patriots last week, plans to make a decision in the next two weeks. 
Schofield would be an interesting pickup for the Patriots after defensive end Rob Ninkovich suffered a torn triceps muscle. Schofield has limited experience at DE, but he could help fortify the team’s front seven with some depth while Ninkovich is out. If all goes well, Ninkovich should return to the team in 4-6 weeks.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn has said that he will not rule out a reunion with Schofield, though one has to wonder why a deal hasn’t happened already if Atlanta wanted him back. Furthermore, Atlanta has already added fellow vet Dwight Freeney. The Redskins seemed to be a logical landing spot for Schofield after edge rusher Junior Galette suffered a season-ending injury, but they’re reportedly not interested.
Schofield finished out the 2015 season with 28 tackles, four tackles for losses, two sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and one forced fumble.
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Patriots Notes: Hightower, Ninkovich, Gronk, QBs
Dont’a Hightower is set to be a free agent following the season, and ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss has noticed a notable change in the linebacker’s “approach with the media.” This sentiment was confirmed in an interview with WEEI, where he made it clear that the contract situation wouldn’t be a distraction.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m here for the year,” Hightower said (via Reiss). “I’m not worried about it. Anything that is going to be done with that will be dealt with [agent] Pat Dye. Until then, I will just control what I can control in between these white lines.”
When asked how he deals with the distraction, Hightower said he tries to “avoid the media as much as possible; that’s the No. 1 thing.”
As the linebacker seeks a lucrative extension, let’s take a look at some other notes out of New England…
- Agent Drew Rosenhaus attended the Patriots preseason opener, only 11 days after having attended the team’s training camp. Reiss wonders is his presence was in regard to clients Rob Gronkowski and Jabaal Sheard, who could both be in line for lucrative contract extensions.
- Reiss notes that the Patriots dealt linebacker Jonathan Bostic to the Lions earlier this offseason in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick. Bostic suffered a serious leg injury this week, and if the linebacker ends up missing the season, the Patriots presumably won’t end up receiving the pick.
- Coach Bill Belichick isn’t anticipating the addition of a veteran quarterback, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. “We’ve talked about it but we’re where we’re at,” Belichick said. “We are where we’re at right now.” With Tom Brady set to miss the first four games of the season, the Patriots will be rolling forward with a pair of quarterbacks: fill-in starter Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Jacoby Brissett.
- After having torn his tricep earlier this week, defensive end Rob Ninkovich was back at practice today, tweets Ben Volin of The Boston Globe.
Patriots To Activate Nate Ebner
The Patriots have finally made a roster move (their first since training camp began), as the club announced that they’ve waived offensive lineman Kyler Kerbyson, who was signed on July 24. New England needed to clear a roster spot to activate safety Nate Ebner, who had been participating in the Olympics, as head coach Bill Belichick confirmed to reporters, including Doug Kyed of NESN.com.
[RELATED: Offseason In Review — New England Patriots]
Ebner, 27, re-signed with the Patriots on a two-year, $2.4MM deal that contains $500K guaranteed and a $250K reporting bonus (per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com), and New England presumably agreed to the contract with the knowledge that Ebner would try out for the U.S. rugby team. Ebner has never started a game during his four-year NFL career, but he’s appeared in 57 contests as an extremely valuable special teams piece. In 2016, for example, Ebner played on more than three-quarters of the Patriots’ special teams snaps.
New England had been granted a roster exemption while Ebner was away, and Belichick today indicated that Ebner will have some work to do in order to prepare for the season. “Football,” said Belichick, when asked what Ebner would need to adjust to, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). “Not training, football. He hasn’t played football. You can go out there and run around a track all you want, but you put 21 other guys out there and it’s a whole different ball game.”
Kerbyson, meanwhile, lasted on the Patriots’ roster for about three weeks. The former Tennessee Volunteer went undrafted earlier this year, but started all 13 games at left tackle during his senior season, during which he was named second-team All SEC.
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Jonathan Kraft Explains Chandler Jones Trade
It wasn’t a huge surprise when the Patriots dealt star defender Chandler Jones to the Cardinals this offseason. After all, the organization has multiple defenders who are impending free agents, so it was unlikely to retain the entire core. Furthermore (as Jones previously pointed out), New England doesn’t have much of a track record when it comes to re-signing their own guys.
“Obviously, when you have great football players, given the constraints of the salary cap, you want to try to keep all of them. You keep as many as you possibly can, and in some cases you have to make difficult decisions,” Kraft added. “Chandler Jones is a great football player and was an important part of the Patriots for the last [four] years. But you have to look at everything and weigh the amount of capital you’re going to have available and what all your choices are, and how deep your team is at certain positions, and what the value can be for somebody else, and how you can take that value and use it for your own team.