What It Means:

On a positive note, he will not require surgery. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport claims Ninkovich could potentially return in October, which would be pretty spectacular for an injury that tends to end seasons. That timetable is a best-case scenario, however, and likely won't come to fruition. The absence of Ninkovich will open doors of opportunity for Shea McClellin and Chris Long.

Ninkovich logged 905 snaps in 2015, and has started every game for New England each of the past five seasons. The Patriots defense finished 12th in schedule-adjusted Defensive Net Expected Points in 2015, after finishing in the top-10 in 2014.