Injury update: Patriots running back Jeremy Hill tears ACL, will be out for the year

The New England Patriots had a rather successful first game of the 2018 season, defeating the visiting Houston Texans 27-20. Along the way, however, the team lost a member of its running back rotation to what immediately looked like a serious injury: early in the third quarter, running back Jeremy Hill stayed on the ground after accidentally getting hit by fullback James Develin after a lost Rob Gronkowski fumble.

Hill was quickly declared out – an early sign for the injury’s severity: according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Hill tore his ACL on the play and will miss the remainder of the season:

Source: #Patriots RB Jeremy Hill tore his ACL and will be out for the 2018 season. Awful.

Hill joined the Patriots on a one-year, $1.5 million free agency contract in March and over the course of the summer earned a rotational spot alongside roster locks James White, Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel. With Michel out yesterday, Hill played 12 offensive snaps and finished with four carries for 25 yards and a six-yard reception. He also got his hands on a punt which helped set up a two-minute drill right before halftime.

With Hill lost for the year and Michel still limited in practice after missing three weeks worth of training camp practices due to a knee injury, the Patriots might opt to bring another running back in to bolster the rotation.