According to ESPN Boston's Mike Rodak, the New England Patriots have signed offensive lineman Mike Ingersoll to a contract. His signing comes after the team discovered that they would be likely be without undrafted rookie tight end Brad Herman, after he underwent surgery to repair an Achilles injury.

Ingersoll, 24, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs last season as an undrafted rookie free agent out of the University of North Carolina, were he was a two-year starter at right tackle. He spent most of last year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, but was waived just last month.

Herman, who left Thursday's practice with an apparent leg injury, will have to pass through waivers by Monday afternoon before he can be placed on the team's injured reserve list. Because the league expanded to a 90-player limit to start out with, players on IR do in fact count against that number during the offseason.