A league source told Boston.com on Thursday that the 33-year-old's chances of returning before the end of the 2009 regular season are small, depending on how his recovery progresses. It is much more likely he will be lost from here on out.
Taylor leads New England in rushing with 201 yards on 41 carries and two touchdowns. He sprained his ankle by rolling it to the outside with five minutes left in the fourth quarter of the Patriots' 27-21 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
His surgery was performed by Dr. George Theodore, who reconstructed a ruptured tendon in Curt Schilling's ankle in 2004.
Taylor is currently in the first year of a two-year, $5 million deal with New England. In 11 years with Jacksonville, he played in 140 games and registered 11,472 yards and 64 touchdowns.
With Taylor out of the mix, the Patriots are left with Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to shoulder the ground work.
