New England Patriots RUMORS: Montee Ball Signed To Practice Squad, LeGarrette Blount Still On Crutches

The New England Patriots have reportedly signed free agent running back Montee Ball to their practice squad, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Head coach Bill Belichick is likely playing it safe with his backfield, as running back LeGarrette Blount was reportedly using crutches two days after suffering a hip injury on Sunday night in a win over the Houston Texans, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.

Blount was able to walk off the field under his own power, but the Patriots leading rusher reportedly could miss some time but nothing is official yet, according to ESPN's Ed Werder. Blount has rushed for 703 yards and six touchdowns, and has become New England's primary back after losing Dion Lewis for the season with a torn ACL.

With Blount likely to miss this weekend's game against the Tennessee Titans, expect running back Brandon Bolden to see plenty of touches. Bolden saw a season-high 16 carries after Blount's injury on Sunday, and rushed for 51 yards.

Running back James White has also become an impact player for the Patriots recently, and has been a strong target for Tom Brady in third down passing situations. White has caught 14 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown in the past two games for New England, and has been a key component to their success this season.

While Ball has only been signed to the Patriots' practice squad, it's clearly worth noting due to all the injuries in New England this year. Ball was a second round draft pick in Denver in 2013, and many players have come to New England to resurrect their careers. Ball rushed for 731 yards with five touchdowns in two seasons with the Broncos, and can serve as a dual threat out of the backfield with 29 career receptions for 207 yards.

New England reclaimed the top spot in the AFC this weekend, as both the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals lost, and with the Dolphin's loss to the Giants, New England claimed the AFC East for the seventh straight year.

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Nfl, Nfl rumors, New england patriots, New england patriots rumors, Montee Ball, Tom brady, Bill belichick, LeGarrette Blount
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