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On Monday, September 4, the Patriots made official what had long been speculated when it comes to tackle Riley Reiff—the leg injury he sustained in the preseason finale against Tennessee would force him to the IR, and ensure he missed the first four games of the year. Reiff had not been spotted at practice since.
The good news, though, is that NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that Reiff’s injury will not be season-ending.
More good news: The Patriots will use Reiff’s roster spot to beef up their tight-end spot, adding Pharoah Brown to the 53-man ahead of the Week 1 opener against the Eagles. Brown is a veteran journeyman who has been kicking around the NFL since 2017, and has played for the Raiders, Texans and Browns—including a brief stint with Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in 2020, when O’Brien was the Houston head coach.
Brown is not much of a pass-catching threat (he has 51 total catches in 55 games played) but he is a solid in-line blocker, something the Patriots are lacking with Hunter Henry and Mike Gisecki at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots on the tight-end depth chart. Both are big-time receiving threats, but lacking when it comes to blocking.
Gisecki had just 32 catches in Miami last season, but totaled 73 the previous year. Henry has averaged 48.7 receptions per season in his career.
Calvin Anderson Gets His Chance
While the addition of Brown could help, the loss of Reiff is a blow to a Patriots roster that is relying on offensive line depth to be the anchor of an untested offensive unit. Right tackle is an area of particular concern, as the Patriots had four players take 150 snaps at the position last year, per Pro Football Focus. The hope was that Reiff would provide stability.
Calvin Anderson is listed now as the starter on the Patriots unofficial depth chart. Anderson was signed from Denver in free agency this offseason, but missed all of training camp with what was labeled only a “serious illness.”
Coach Bill Belichick has spoken highly of him, and made him the first free agent the Patriots signed this offseason.
“(He has) the position flexibility to play both tackles,” Belichick said via NESN. “He’s a young player, but he’s experienced enough where he can handle a lot of things and pick things up quicker than a rookie would or something like that. Even though he’s been on another team, he’s been able to transition pretty well from an assignment standpoint, technique standpoint.”
In a corresponding move, the Patriots brought back defensive lineman Jeremiah Pharms, putting him on the 16-man practice squad in place of Brown.
Belichick ‘Addresses’ Bailey Zappe Fallout
Also on Monday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the surprising handling of quarterback Bailey Zappe last week, when Zappe was waived because of a particularly poor offseason, only to clear waivers and re-sign with the New England practice squad.
That is to say, he addressed it in a very Belichick way.
“All the roster decisions are based on what we feel like is best for our football team,” said Belichick, via NESN’s Zack Cox. “There’s a number of things involved there. But glad to have Bailey and continue to work with him. I still think he’s a good, young, developing player, so we’ll keep working with him.”
Yawn.
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