New England Patriots
Pettus, who has played in 36 consecutive regular season games for the Patriots, is out for at least four games.
Dell Pettus talking to reporters during Patriots training camp in August. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
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Patriots place offensive lineman Mike Onwenu on injured reserve
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FOXBOROUGH – Patriots coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Wednesday that safety Dell Pettus had been placed on the injured reserve list.
The backup safety suffered an ankle injury during the Patriots’ win against the Steelers on Sunday. He will miss at least the next four games.
Pettus signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of Troy in 2024. He made the 53-man roster and has appeared in all 17 regular season games in each of the past two seasons. He has 56 career tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble.
He is also a key contributor on special teams, having played roughly 60 percent of the team’s snaps for that phase of the game.
Two weeks into the season, the Patriots have already placed a pair of starters — Mike Onwenu and AJ Brown — on injured reserve.
There were several other players who left Sunday’s game early with injuries, including safety Craig Woodson, edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones, and tight end Eli Raridon.
“I don’t think Dre’Mont will do much today, but I know that he’s working hard to try to get back,” Vrabel said. “We’ll see where he is later on in the week and I’d say that would be the same for Woodson, he probably won’t do much today.”
Raridon was on the field for the media access portion of practice.
Vrabel said the Patriots plan to sign linebacker Jose Ramirez to the 53-man roster. Ramirez, a 2023 sixth-round pick who began his career with Tampa Bay, had brief stints with the Eagles and the the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The Patriots will head to Jacksonville for a contest with the Jaguars this weekend at 1 p.m.
Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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