Rookie Brandon Tate's first taste of the NFL was a quick one as the Patriots place the 2009 third-round pick on season-ending injured reserve Saturday with a knee injury.
Tate played in just two games after starting the year on the non-football injury list and missing the first six games of the season. The UNC alum was overcoming a knee injury he sustained in his senior year last fall, and took over as the team's fourth receiver when fellow rookie Julian Edelman went down with a forearm injury following the Pats' 59-0 win over the Titans in Week 6.
The rookie had one rush for 11 yards but tallied zero receptions in his two contests. He also help the special teams by serving as the Pats' kickoff return man, spanning 106 yards on four returns.
Wide receiver Isaiah Stanback was signed from the practice squad to the active roster to take Tate's place. In his third NFL season with Dallas in 2008, Stanback had two receptions and 10 kickoff returns in eight games.
