The New England Patriots have placed starting left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker on injured reserve, sidelining the veteran offensive lineman for at least the next four weeks as the team continues to deal with injuries along its offensive front.
The team announced the move on Thursday.
Vera-Tucker suffered a hamstring injury in the team’s Week 6 victory against the New York Jets. His absence now creates another challenge for New England, as the team tries to deal with a litany of injuries. They also lost starting right guard Ben Brown to a knee injury in their win over the Jets.
Vera-Tucker has allowed a sack, 11 pressures and three quarterback hits this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Last week, Walter Rouse stepped in as the replacement for Vera-Tucker after the injury, and he is set to start in Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears.
With starting right guard Mike Onwenu and backup Greg Van Roten already on injured reserve, New England is down multiple offensive guards. The team will need to rely on its remaining depth, including Rouse and Matt Pryor, to fill the vacancies and protect quarterback Drake Maye while attempting to maintain offensive stability.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots place another starting OL on injured reserve