A lower leg injury reportedly is keeping defensive end Deatrich Wise off the field during the early stages of the New England Patriots’ offseason program.
Wise currently is in a walking boot, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss reported Sunday night. It’s unclear when he’ll be ready to resume on-field work, but the injury — the exact nature of which was not specified — is not expected to linger into the season, per Reiss.
Wise played in all 16 games during the 2018 regular season but missed New England’s divisional-round matchup with an ankle injury and sat out the AFC Championship Game, as well, before returning in Super Bowl LIII and tying his career high with five tackles in a win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Primarily playing as a sub rusher, Wise tallied 4 1/2 sacks and 16 quarterback hits as an NFL sophomore last season, ranking second on the team in both categories behind Trey Flowers.
Flowers’ decision to sign with the Detroit Lions in free agency left a sizeable hole on the Patriots’ defensive end depth chart — one they’ve attempted to fill by trading for Michael Bennett, drafting Chase Winovich in the third round and re-signing John Simon. Derek Rivers, Ufomba Kamalu, Keionta Davis and 2018 practice squadder Trent Harris also will compete for roster spots this summer.
