New England Patriots

Patriots place C Bryan Stork on short-term IR, will miss eight weeks

Published Sep. 9, 2015 5:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

The New England Patriots will be forced to be without their starting center for at least eight weeks. The team placed Bryan Stork on injured reserve with designation to return due to a concussion that held him out of all four preseason games.

Short-term IR will keep Stork from practicing for six weeks and cannot be activated until he's been on the list for eight weeks.

Stork, a fourth-round pick in 2014, was a solid lineman for the Patriots last season after joining the starting lineup to start 11 games for New England. He played very well as a rookie and had high expectations entering this season.

Ryan Wendell will likely be Stork's replacement during his absence, but that may not come in Week 1. Wendell also dealt with a shoulder injury in camp and didn't practice until Aug. 24.

(h/t Jeff Howe)