Dominique Easley Injury: Updates on Patriots DT's Leg and Recovery

After leaving the New England Patriots' Week 14 win over the Houston Texans with a leg injury, defensive tackle Dominique Easley has been placed on season-ending injured reserve. 

Tom Curran of Comcast SportsNet New England reported the Patriots' roster move. 

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How Easley's Absence Impacts Patriots

Tuesday, Dec. 15

This is a devastating blow for Easley, as Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com noted the 2014 first-round pick has been placed on injured reserve again nearly one year to the date it happened last year (Dec. 17). 

Easley was injured during the third quarter of the Patriots' Sunday night game against the Houston Texans, though Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reported on Monday it was "nothing serious" and the defensive tackle might miss one game. 

Playing in the middle of a defensive line doesn't afford Easley many opportunities to get sacks, but that doesn't mean the second-year star has been unable to get in the opposing backfield. 

Pro Football Focus noted Easley has racked up 34 pressures this season and called him "an impressive part" of head coach Bill Belichick's defensive rotation. 

Per Phil Perry of Comcast SportsNet New England, Easley's ability to hurry the quarterback is even more impressive considering the disparity in his snap count compared to other New England stars:

The Patriots are fortunate to have quality depth on the defensive line with Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich leading the team in sacks, but Easley's ability to play in the middle helped create openings for other players. 

Losing Easley will change the way Belichick deploys his linemen, with Alan Branch and Malcom Brown needing to play even more prominent roles down the stretch to help the Patriots make another deep playoff run.