The New England Patriots signed former UMaine defensive end Trevor Bates, a Westbrook native, to the practice squad and released fullback Glenn Gronkowski from the practice squad.

Bates, 23, originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick (239th overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in 2016.

Seattle's Doug Baldwin gets a block from Jimmy Graham and runs for yardage in the first half Monday night in Seattle. The Seahawks won 31-25. Associated Press/Elaine Thompson

Bates began this season on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad and was signed to the 53-man roster on Oct. 5 and played in his first NFL game vs. Chicago on Oct. 9 before being released on Oct. 13.

Bates, 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, was a three-time All-Colonial Athletic Association selection while playing defensive end for Maine. He led the Black Bears with 7.5 sacks last season.

JETS: Ryan Fitzpatrick’s grip on the starting quarterback job all depends on his injured knee.

Coach Todd Bowles announced Fitzpatrick is “day to day” with a sprained left knee and that his status for New York’s game Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams is uncertain.

Fitzpatrick injured his knee during the third quarter of the Jets’ 27-23 loss at Miami on Sunday. The quarterback left for a series and was replaced by Bryce Petty, but he returned and finished the game while wearing a brace on the knee. It was heavily wrapped when he spoke to the media afterward.

While the injury is not believed to be serious, Bowles says Petty would start Sunday if Fitzpatrick is not healthy enough.

WASHINGTON: Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams is out the next four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, meaning well-traveled 31-year-old Ty Nsekhe moves into the starting lineup. Nsekhe’s ability is respected, but there’s no doubt it hurts the team to be without Williams against the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals.

Williams is able to take part in meetings but not practice or attend games during his suspension, which is up Dec. 5. He was not made available to address reporters as Washington returned from its bye week, and Coach Jay Gruden said the specifics of his conversation with Williams will remain private.

• Washington placed tight end Niles Paul on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Gruden said Paul will need surgery to repair his injured labrum.

Paul is Washington’s No. 3 tight end behind Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, its fullback when needed and a special teams ace.

GIANTS: Coach Ben McAdoo announced that left guard Justin Pugh will be sidelined indefinitely with a sprained right knee.

The team’s first-round draft choice in 2013, Pugh was hurt early in the second quarter of Sunday’s 28-23 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

McAdoo also had no further information on the severity of an ankle injury to wide receiver Victor Cruz, who was also injured in the game. An MRI was planned.

FALCONS: GM Thomas Dimitroff signed a three-year contract extension, ending questions about whether this season, the final year of his deal, would be his last with the Falcons.

MONDAY’S GAME

SEAHAWKS 31, BILLS 25: Jimmy Graham needed only one hand to catch two first-half touchdown passes from Russell Wilson, and Seattle held off a late rally to beat visiting Buffalo.

Seattle won its 11th straight Monday night game behind a huge game from its tight end. Still less than a year removed from a major knee injury, Graham used his right arm to catch a 17-yard touchdown from Wilson on the first play of the second quarter and later used the same arm to cradle an 18-yard TD pass in the final moments of the first half.

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