He had been sitting at home with his wife and kids when the Patriots called him back, opening a spot on the roster by putting rookie outside linebacker Shawn Crable on injured reserve with a shin injury, ending his season.
While health may have ultimately cost Webster a chance to make the Patriots out of training camp, it's his ally now, as New England's cornerback corps is in need of reliable reinforcements.
Rookie Terrence Wheatley, who injured a wrist against the Colts last Sunday, didn't practice yesterday and was seen in the locker room with what looked like a soft cast on his lower left arm. Starting right cornerback Ellis Hobbs is playing with a bad shoulder and had limited participa tion yesterday. Starting left cornerback Deltha O'Neal is recovering from a concussion suffered against St. Louis Oct. 26, and veteran Lewis Sanders, who also didn't practice yesterday, has missed the last two games after aggravating a hamstring injury.
Not the position you want to be in heading into a key division clash Sunday with the Buffalo Bills and their capable young quarterback, Trent Edwards.
"We're kind of struggling, but we can make it," said O'Neal. "We're only as good as our second team as a group. If we can't get it done drawing on a backup, then we're going to be in a world of trouble, believe me."
Webster, an eight-year veteran who has 11 career interceptions, is no savior for the secondary, but he's a savvy, experienced corner who can play the slot and is familiar with the Patriots' system and the Bills'. Webster signed with the Bills in 2007, but broke his forearm in Buffalo's opener last year, ending his season.
"Well, Jason has a good understanding of our system; he was with us all the way through the spring and training camp," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. "So, we will plug him in there. He gives us a little bit of depth in the secondary - corner, nickel back - so we will plug him in there and see how it goes."
In the 18-15 loss to the Colts, Belichick plugged rookie Jonathan Wilhite and second-year man Mike Richardson into the slot corner, or "star" as it's known in Patriots parlance, and watched as Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez scored both Indianapolis touchdowns against them.
