Williams

The Patriots placed Tank Williams on injured reserve with a right-knee injury yesterday, ending the safety/linebacker’s season after one preseason game with New England.

Williams was hurt on kickoff coverage with about 3:15 left in the first half of Thursday night’s game with Baltimore. On television replay, it appears that he got hurt either just before or during a collision with Ravens’ linebacker Nick Greisen.

Williams, 28, signed a one-year free-agent contract in March and was surely looking to revitalize his once-promising career. A former second-round draft pick of the Titans in 2002, Williams signed a free-agent deal with the Vikings before the 2006 season and was injured in the opening days of training camp with his new team. The fractured left kneecap kept him out for the season; last year, he played a reserve role with Minnesota.

Williams tore the ACL in his left knee during the 2004 season, with Tennessee.

Listed at 6-foot-3, 223 pounds, Williams had been working almost exclusively at inside linebacker since arriving in New England. Though a bit undersized for the position, he seemed to be doing well in his new spot.

Pats sign cornerback Shoate

To fill Williams’ spot on the 80-man roster, New England signed cornerback Jeff Shoate. Shoate, 27, has played in 14 career games, all with the Broncos.

A fifth-round pick for Denver in 2004, Shoate played in seven games as a rookie but spent all of the ’05 season on injured reserve. He was on the Broncos’ practice squad in 2006 and played seven games last season with the team before being released Dec. 4. A week later, he was signed to the Ravens’ practice squad. Shoate was on the Giants’ practice squad during the playoffs.

smanza@projo.com