The New England Patriots announced they have officially placed rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez on injured reserve on Saturday.
It was an inevitable move following the news that the 21-year-old defensive back suffered a torn labrum in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4.
The Patriots could look to fill the void with former All-Pro corner J.C. Jackson, who was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday. Veteran Jonathan Jones is also expected to return after missing the previous three games with an ankle injury.
With Gonzalez leaving the main roster, the Patriots used the open spot to activate 34-year-old offensive tackle Riley Reiff. The hope is for Reiff to settle things down at right tackle, which has been a trouble spot for New England in recent weeks.
At the very least, Reiff gives the Patriots depth at a position that was desperately needed. Things might not be great right now in New England, but they’ve made enough moves to keep the sky from falling.
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