FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Faced with a shortage along their offensive line with three blockers unavailable due to injuries, the New England Patriots plan to promote second-year player Chris Barker off the practice squad by Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline.
The 6-foot-2, 300-pound Barker is primarily a guard, but he played tackle in the preseason when the Patriots were managing an injury situation at that time as well.
Barker entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada in 2013. He was claimed by the Patriots on waivers from Miami on Sept. 1, 2013 and has appeared in five games with the club since that time (4 in 2013, 1 in 2014), splitting time between the active roster and practice squad.