Elandon Roberts’ Rib Injury From Patriots-Texans Reportedly Not Serious

Elandon Roberts seemed to be in serious pain Saturday night, but it appears the New England Patriots linebacker avoided serious injury.

Roberts suffered a rib injury in the third quarter of New England’s preseason game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium and was carted off the field. The Patriots reportedly got a positive update on Roberts on Sunday, though, as X-rays on his ribs came back negative, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

Rib injuries can be very painful even if there’s no structural damage, which would explain why Roberts didn’t return to Saturday’s game. It’s unclear how much time the 23-year-old linebacker will miss, but negative X-rays suggest he won’t be sidelined for too long.

That’s good news for Roberts, who could be in a battle for a roster spot after the Patriots acquired veteran linebacker David Harris this offseason. Roberts had a strong rookie campaign in 2016, though, and has the chance to see significant playing time alongside linebacker Dont’a Hightower if he can stay healthy and produce in the preseason.

Thumbnail photo via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images