Tully Banta-Cain has undergone successful abdominal surgery and will likely be out 4-5 weeks while he recovers.
If you've been doing nothing but paying attention to Schefter lately, this still doesn't mean that he's guaranteed to miss time with the Patriots, as the NFL lockout isn't yet ended.
(If you have been doing nothing but paying attention to Schefter lately and you're not related to him, get a hobby)
The Patriots, who need reinforcement at the outside linebacker position to begin with, are sure to be hampered by this revelation. Banta-Cain was reportedly bothered by the injury during last season, but aggravated it during offseason workouts, making the surgery a necessary option.
Banta-Cain appeared in 15 games for New England last year, starting five of them, and recorded 36 tackles with five sacks.
If the lockout does end early this week as the almighty worldwide leader is suggesting it might, Patriots camp could open as soon as next weekend.