The injury bug seems to taken another bite out of the Patriots

Just a few days into regular practices one of the teams thinnest units has taken what could be a major hit, as LeGarrette Blount left Friday's practice with an apparent knee injury.

According to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe, Blount suffered a sprained MCL after leaving the full pads workout yesterday.

Despite the injury, Young's source claimed that Blount should be good to go for the start of the season. He will have an extra bit of time to prepare, however, as the 6-year veteran is scheduled to miss the season opener against Pittsburgh as a result of a drug suspension from last season. 

With Blount,  the elder statesman of the New England backfield, on the shelf for the time being, some of the team's less experienced options will get the chance to carry more of the load through the preseason.

While an injury is never what a team wants, Blount's time out may allow guys like Jonas Gray and Brandon Bolden to establish themselves as viable options for the club once the real games begin.

Blount, who joined the Patriots for the stretch run after being released by the Steelers last season, spent the whole 2013 season with New England. He had started this year on the non-football injury list as it took him a couple of tries to pass the team's mandatory conditioning test.

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