FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots placed offensive lineman Billy Yates on the reserve/injured list with a leg injury today. The third-year veteran sustained the injury in the third quarter of yesterday's game against the New York Jets and will miss the remainder of the 2006 season.
Yates, 26, has played in 11 career games with three starts, including four games with three starts this season. The 6-foot-2-inch, 305-pound interior lineman started each of New England's last three games at right guard and made his first career NFL start at Minnesota on Oct. 30. Yates was signed to the active roster from New England's practice squad on Oct. 21, 2006. The Texas A&M product was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins as a rookie free agent prior to the 2003 season. He played in three games for the Dolphins as a rookie, then spent all but one week of the 2004 season on the Patriots practice squad. Yates began the 2005 season on the practice squad and was signed to the active roster on Nov. 12 and played in four regular-season games and one playoff contest last season. He was re-signed by the Patriots as an exclusive rights free agent on July 27, 2006, and was a member of New England's practice squad from Sept. 3 until he was signed to the active roster on Oct. 21, 2006.
