New England Patriots wide receiver Maurice Harris has a lower leg injury and will be out for a while, according to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston.

The Patriots signed Harris to a one-year deal back in March.

Harris, who played his collegiate football at the University of California, went undrafted but ultimately landed with the Washington Redskins in 2016. He played in 10 games during his rookie campaign, logging eight catches for 66 yards.

His role was similarly small during his second year in 2017, as he appeared in six contests and finished with four receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown. Harris' role then grew this past season, as he participated in 12 games while snaring 28 balls for 304 yards.

Harris was looked at by some as a potential sleeper in New England's receiving corps heading into 2019 given the fact that the Pats lost tight end Rob Gronkowski to retirement and wide outs Chris Hogan and Cordarrelle Patterson to free agency earlier this offseason.

However, with Josh Gordon being reinstated, the Patriots suddenly have some clarity in their passing game, as it looks like Gordon, Julian Edelman, and rookie N'Keal Harry will be the team's top three receivers with Phillip Dorsett also on the edge.

As a result, the chances of Harris having a large role seem slim, especially given that he may now be sidelined for an extended period of time.

The Pats are coming off of a 2018 campaign in which they won 11 games and captured their 10th straight AFC East division title on their way to winning their sixth Super Bowl.