FOXBORO, Mass. — Nate Solder’s season officially is over.
The New England Patriots placed their starting left tackle on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday with a biceps injury. Solder suffered the ailment during the Patriots’ Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
The Patriots claimed cornerback Rashaan Melvin off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens to take Solder’s place on the 53-man roster. Melvin signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Illinois in 2013. He also spent part of the 2014 season with the Miami Dolphins.
Melvin started four games last season, including both of the Ravens’ playoff matchups. He had 11 tackles against the Patriots in the divisional round, though he struggled in coverage in that game.
The 6-foot-2, 193-pound cornerback ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at his pro day in 2013, and also had a 38-inch vertical leap and 10-foot, 6-inch broad jump.
Melvin joins Malcolm Butler, Tarell Brown, Justin Coleman and Logan Ryan on the Patriots’ depth chart at cornerback. The Patriots recently released cornerback Bradley Fletcher.
Thumbnail photo via Mitch Stringer/USA TODAY Sports Images
