Mitchell down and out
Knee injury puts WR on injured list
FOXBORO — Before the Patriots could begin their official Super Bowl defense, they became even thinner at wide receiver.
Malcolm Mitchell was placed on injured reserve yesterday due to the knee issue that plagued the vast majority of his offseason. He is eligible to return in eight weeks if the Patriots choose to use that designation on him, but it’s not clear whether that is the plan, according to a source.
Mitchell missed the entire offseason workout program because of his knee, and he went down again during the first practice of training camp. He returned to practice during the second week of the preseason at the Greenbrier in West Virginia, but James O’Shaughnessy rolled into his knee a few days later in the exhibition loss to the Texans.
Mitchell missed the preseason finale against the Giants and was limited at practice this week before the Patriots pulled the plug on his regular-season debut. They activated interior lineman Ted Karras from the practice squad to fill Mitchell’s roster spot.
It’s believed the injury played a significant role in the Patriots’ pursuit of wideout Phillip Dorsett, who was active last night against the Chiefs. The Pats sent quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the Colts on Saturday in exchange for Dorsett, a 2015 first-round draft pick.
Under the notion that the Pats knew last week that Mitchell’s immediate future was murky, it’s certainly worth noting they could have placed him on injured reserve Saturday in order to keep rookie receiver Austin Carr, who was claimed off waivers by the Saints.
But if the Pats did make that move, Mitchell wouldn’t have been eligible to return this season. Therefore, that’s a sign that points toward a potential return in a couple months.
Dorsett adds a legitimate level of talent and long-term potential to the position, which is important both now and in the future. If Mitchell, who had three surgeries on his right knee in college, can’t overcome those woes, the Pats at least have another young receiver to develop. Dorsett is signed through 2018, and the Patriots can exercise his 2019 option after this season if they wish.
The Pats already lost wide receiver Julian Edelman to a torn ACL, so they’ll need Chris Hogan, Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola to step up even more than originally expected. Of course, tight ends Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen and Jacob Hollister are also capable pass catchers to various degrees, and running backs James White, Rex Burkhead, Dion Lewis and Mike Gillislee can be active out of the backfield.
Mitchell, a fourth-round pick out of Georgia, had a promising rookie season with 32 catches for 401 yards and four touchdowns, and he capped it with six catches for 70 yards in Super Bowl LI.
Now, the question is whether or not Mitchell’s second season is over, or if the Patriots will use one of their two return designations on him.
Two more down
The Patriots lost a pair of stars in last night’s 42-27 loss to the Chiefs, as Dont’a Hightower left in the third quarter with a right knee injury and Amendola was ruled out in the fourth quarter with a concussion.
Alan Branch and Chiefs center Mitch Morse, who combine to weigh 655 pounds, both landed on Hightower’s leg, which buckled awkwardly as he crumbled to the turf. Hightower writhed in pain on the ground for a minute before walking off the field and getting evaluated in the medical tent.
Hightower emerged after a few minutes and rode the stationary bike, stood around the sideline and wrapped the knee. He then tried to stretch out the leg a bit more before re-wrapping it. He didn’t return, but the extensive action on the sideline was at least a sign that it may not be a seasonending injury.
Amendola caught six balls for 100 yards and was the starting punt returner before he had to bow out. He took a crushing shot to the midsection on a Tom Brady incompletion in the third quarter but didn’t miss a snap. He later returned to the locker room with concussion symptoms for the medical check that revealed that result.
Chief concern
Kansas City safety Eric Berry went down in the fourth quarter with an Achilles tendon injury, and he was carted into the locker room. Coach Andy Reid sounded concerned afterward that it was a serious issue. If it’s a torn Achilles, it would almost certainly end Berry’s season.
Berry did a remarkable job on Rob Gronkowski (two catches on six targets for 33 yards), so a longterm issue for the five-time Pro Bowler would tip the scales if the teams met again.