New England Patriots starting defensive lineman Jarvis Green underwent knee surgery last week, and reportedly could be out anywhere from two weeks to a month.

Green confirmed that he had the procedure, which was first reported by Comcast SportsNet, in the Patriots locker room on Tuesday. He was walking without a limp.

"It's tough to lose any player on the defense," Patriots defensive lineman Mike Wright said. "We're going to let Jarvis handle his business and we're going to take care of what we can on the field."

Comcast SportsNet reported that, according to an unnamed source, Green could be out until at least early December, but the Boston Globe reported a more optimistic possibility. An unnamed source told the Globe that Green could be back on the field as soon as the Nov. 15 game against the Colts.

Green, an eight-year veteran, is tied for eighth on the team with 23 tackles. He has played right defensive end in both three- and four-man fronts.

The Patriots are likely to turn to Wright, a five-year veteran, to fill that void, and it also might lead to rookie Ron Brace being active for the first time since Sept. 20 against the Jets.

Mike Reiss covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com. You can follow him on Twitter or leave a question for his weekly mailbag.