The New England Patriots have officially placed cornerback Alex Austin on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Patriots.com confirmed the news ahead of Sunday’s Week 4 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.
Austin was elevated on the depth chart after Marco Wilson struggled against the Seattle Seahawks. The team will likely turn back to Wilson, who was inactive last week.
They also signed second-year defensive back Isaiah Bolden to the 53-man roster to help fill the void left by Austin. So Wilson and Bolden will be two of the primary backups for Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones against a 49ers offense with weapons across the board.
The Patriots also had a couple of practice squad elevations with defensive tackle Trysten Hill and tight end Mitchell Wilcox being promoted.
Hill can help provide additional depth along the defensive front, while Wilcox could serve as an extra blocking tight end for the Patriots’ rushing attack.
The Patriots need all of the able-bodied players they can find to fend off a ferocious 49ers defensive front on the road on Sunday.