2012 hasn’t been kind to Duke tight end Braxton Deaver.
First, Deaver, a sophomore, had surgery to repair a torn knee ligament in January, then another surgery to repair a fractured thumb last month.
Now, he underwent a third surgery for a fractured left patella. Deaver sustained the injury during workouts Monday and had the surgery on Tuesday.
“Right now our focus with Braxton is to get well, and not worry about getting back on the football field,” coach David Cutcliffe said in a prepared statement. “As we all know, injuries are a part of football, and now I expect our younger players to step into more significant roles.”
Deaver played in six games last year as a freshman and recorded eight receptions for 107 yards. He was expected to compete for the starting tight end position this fall.