New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount reportedly suffered a fairly significant injury during Patriots training camp this week. Blount suffered an MCL sprain, according to a report from Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe. Per Young's report, Blount should be ready for the regular season opener, though he has already been suspended for that game due to a marijuana arrest from last season while Blount was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Blount, the de facto No. 1 back in Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's offense, was injured less than an hour into Pats practice this week. He was on the ground for several minutes being attended to by trainers before walking off under his own power, but with a noticeable limp.
The 28-year-old Blount spent the entire 2013 season with the Patriots and then rejoined them for the final five games of the 2014 regular season and New England's Super Bowl run through the playoffs last year after being released by the Steelers. In those five regular season games last season, Blount managed 60 carries for 281 yards and three touchdowns. He added 47 rushes for 189 yards and three touchdowns as the Pats made their way to another Lombardi Trophy.
With Blount sidelined, Jonas Gray and Brandon Bolden are likely to see the lion's share of carries. In eight games last year, the formerly undrafted Gray garnered 89 carries for 412 yards and five touchdowns. Bolden, entering his fourth year in the NFL and with the Pats, has never carried the ball more than 56 times.
Considering Belichick's plug-and-play approach with running backs, Blount's loss isn't likely to make a big difference for the Patriot offense, especially if it's just for training camp.
Of course, Blount actually began training camp on the non-football injury list after he failed his conditioning test, so Belichick likely isn't his biggest fan at the moment.
