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Report: Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich had hernia surgery in February

Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich underwent hernia surgery in February, as revealed in a new profile story in the Boston Globe.

Nov 17, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talks with defensive end Chase Winovich (50) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 17, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talks with defensive end Chase Winovich (50) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com

Patriots edge rusher Chase Winovich underwent hernia surgery back in February. The news was revealed as part of a new profile on the promising sophomore by Stan Grossfeld in the Boston Globe.

Winovich finished sixth among all NFL rookies with 5.5 sacks and 10 QB hits in his first season. He and Chandler Jones are the only Patriots under Bill Belichick to reach both of those marks as a rookie.

The former Michigan defensive end tells Grossfeld he's been keeping himself busy with yoga, weights, and canoeing while he's mostly stuck at home during the coronavirus lockdown. You can tell by at least one picture in the Globe that it looks like Winovich's hernia is well in the past.

DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 08: Chase Winovich #52 of the New England Patriots rushes during the preseason game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on August 8, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)Rey Del Rio/Getty Images

Chase Winovich appears fully recovered from hernia surgery in February. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)

As one of the more promising young players of the past two seasons in New England, Winovich enters 2020 as one of the key figures to the team's transition into the next era. The Patriots' success in pass-rushing situations may revolve around the performance of the former Michigan edge rusher. And he now gets a chance to play with his former Wolverines teammate, Josh Uche, who became the highest draft pick to sign so far on Wednesday.

The hope is that Winovich can stay healthy during the season once again, as he did for 16 games as a rookie. For a Patriots team that may need to win a lot of games on defense, they're going to need a productive Winovich as much as almost anybody.

Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.

Matt, a North Andover, Massachusetts native, has been with The Sports Hub since 2010. Growing up the son of Boston University All-American and Melrose High School hall-of-fame hockey player Steve Dolloff, sports was always a part of his life. After attending Northeastern University, Matt focused his love of sports on writing, extensively writing about all four major Boston teams. He also is a co-host of the Sports Hub Underground podcast and is a regular on-air contributor on the Sports Hub. Matt writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins.