Patriots Running Back Stevan Ridley Tears ACL, MCL; Out for Season

Mike Reiss of ESPN is reporting that tests have come back on Patriots running back Stevan Ridley's knee injury. Per his sources, Ridley has torn his ACL and MCL, effectively ending his season and possibly his tenure with the Patriots.

Ridley was in the midst of a contract year and was running well for the Patriots and holding onto the ball. He gained 340 yards on 94 carries for a 3.6 yards per carry rate without any fumbles. He has 2817 yards in his career with the Patriots with 22 rushing touchdowns.

While he had limited speed, his excellent burst made Ridley was one of the most effective running backs in the league. He consistently picked up positive yardage and five yard gains. The Patriots will certainly miss his production in the backfield and everyone is rooting for a speedy recovery.

The Patriots will move Ridley to the reserves list and likely bring up additional depth for the game against the Jets. It's likely that Brandon Bolden will assume most of Ridley's old snaps, unless the team believe Shane Vereen can be as effective in between the tackles.