Nate Solder out for season with torn bicep
By Ian O'Brien
New England Patriots left tackle Nate Solder is out for season with torn bicep.
The New England Patriots have suffered a major blow to their offensive line with left tackle Nate Solder tearing his right bicep. The injury will cause him to miss the rest of the season.
Solder left Sunday’s 30-6 win against the Dallas Cowboys with what appeared to be an elbow injury, and Patriots beat writer Jim McBride has confirmed that he will not return for the 2015 season.
#Patriots left tackle Nate Solder will miss the rest of the season with a torn right biceps, according to a team source. Surgery upcoming.
— Jim McBride (@globejimmcbride) October 14, 2015
Solder was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2011 draft, and he has been a consistent starter on their offensive line since. The former Colorado tackle made 13 starts as a rookie while appearing in all 16 games, and he had only missed one game since.
The Patriots have started their season on a tear, opening with a 4-0 record while fielding the top offense in the NFL. Quarterback Tom Brady has responded to a distracting offseason with anger by throwing for 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions, but losing Solder will not make his job any easier. Marcus Cannon is expected to take over as the Patriots’ starting left tackle.
Head coach Bill Belichick also likes to shuffle the Patriots’ offensive line around, according to Pro Football Talk. The Patriots offense currently averages a whopping 37.2 points and 423.8 yards per game. While their scoring average falls just below the Arizona Cardinals, the Patriots will have an opportunity to raise their average even higher against the Indianapolis Colts defense. The Colts have continued to struggle in that area, and they have also experienced multiple blowout losses against the Patriots in recent years.