NFL: Patriots against Chargers without Hightower

The New England Patriots will have to give up linebacker Dont’ a Hightower in Sunday’s match against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 27-year-old is suffering from a shoulder injury that prevents him from competing in Week 8.

NFL network insider Ian Rapoport reports that the team is currently evaluating how long Hightower will be down. The current injury is not the first one Hightower faces this year.

In the opening game of the regular season against Kansas City Chiefs, the man from Tennessee pulled himself to his knees and missed the games against New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans in Week 2 and 3.

Hightower plays his sixth season in the NFL and has twice won the Super Bowl with the Patriots. He was also nominated for the Pro Bowl for the first time last season.

Meanwhile, the patriots announced on Wednesday that linebacker Trevor Reilly of the Practise Squad had joined their squad. Harvey Langi, who has already been on a mission against the Saints, slipped onto the patriots’ reserve list.