Patriots' Starting OL Suffers Knee Injury vs. Titans
In addition to battling an aggressive push by the the Tennessee Titans, the New England Patriots are monitoring what may be a concerning injury to a key component of their struggling offensive line in their preseason finale at Nissan Stadium on Friday night.
At the start of the second quarter, facing a third-and-1 at the Titans 29, offensive tackle Riley Reiff appeared to get his right knee rolled up while attempting to make a block for running back Kevin Harris. Reiff was briefly attended to by the training staff before walking to the locker room under his own power.
The Titans hold a 13-7 halftime lead over the Patriots, as Reiff’s status for the remainder of the game remains uncertain.
About to enter his 12th season in the NFL, Reiff and the Patriots agreed to a $5 million contract with $4.15 million guaranteed shortly after the start of the league year in March. Though he faces some notable competition at the position, a financial investment of that size clearly raises the expectation of not only of his earning a roster spot, but also a starting spot at tackle.
Throughout training camp, and much of the preseason, he has spent his time at both right and left tackle, as well as right guard in place of the injured Michael Onwenu.
Reiff is widely expected to help provide significant improvement to a unit that struggled mightily in 2022. Under the direction of former coach Matt Patricia, the unit was routinely plagued by injury and inconsistent play. As a result, the offense regressed to a subpar level in both pass protection and run blocking.
At 6-6, 313 pounds, Reiff possess the necessary size to provide adequate protection in both the passing and the run games. Yet, his versatility may have been the deciding factor in New England's interest in his services. He began his pro career as a first-round selection by the Detroit Lions in 2012, where he played both right and left tackle for five seasons. For the past two years, the Iowa product has aligned at right tackle -- 10 games for the Chicago Bears in 2022, which came on the heels of his 12-game stint during a run to the AFC Championship with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. Previously, Reiff played left tackle for the Minnesota Vikings from 2017-20.
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