FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots have placed right guard Stephen Neal on injured reserve.

The 10-year veteran will miss the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury that had sidelined him for the past three games.

Neal has been New England’s starting right guard since 2004 but has missed games because of injury every year since 2006.

• The Patriots claimed running back Thomas Clayton on waivers from the Browns.

STEELERS: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t have a broken right foot but instead is healing from an aggravation of a previous injury where scar tissue is present, the team said.

The Steelers issued a statement refuting a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report that Roeth-lisberger broke a metatarsal bone in his foot. He has worn a protective boot all week and has been fitted with a protective game shoe.

VIKINGS: Coach Leslie Frazier will likely have several game-time decisions to make before Sunday’s game against Buffalo. Sprained ankles have kept running back Adrian Peterson and defensive end Ray Edwards out of practice this week, left guard Steve Hutchinson has a cast on his broken thumb, and wide receiver Percy Harvin missed practice Thursday because of a migraine headache.

BILLS: Starting defensive end Dwan Edwards is done for the season after being placed on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury.

GIANTS: Safety Antrel Rolle apologized for comparing fans booing players after a bad half of football to fans booing troops returning home from Iraq after a tour of duty.

Rolle says he used a very poor, inappropriate example to demonstrate how seriously he takes his job.

LIONS: Detroit put kicker Jason Hanson on injured reserve because of a right knee injury and signed cornerback Tye Hill.

RAIDERS: Oakland signed backup quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan and placed Bruce Gradkowski on season-ending injury reserve.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville promoted linebacker Slade Norris from the practice squad and placed linebacker Jacob Cutrera on injured reserve because of a concussion.

RAMS: Rookie cornerback Jerome Murphy was limited in practice after tweaking a hamstring, and fullback Mike Karney was limited because of a groin injury.