New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones will miss about one month due to a hip injury, the Boston Globe reported Tuesday.

Jones sat out practice Tuesday, four days after playing in the Patriots’ 27-25 win over the New York Jets.

Through the season’s first seven games, Jones has a team-high 4 1/2 sacks. He also has 21 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Jones scored a touchdown by blocking a field-goal attempt and taking the ball to the end zone.

New England is set to sign free agent defensive lineman Alan Branch, the Globe reported. Branch, 29, was released by the Bills before the season. He played all 16 games last season for Buffalo and made 13 starts. He recorded 39 tackles.

Branch previously played for the Arizona Cardinals (2007-10) and the Seattle Seahawks (2011-12).

Jones’ injury further hampers a New England defense that previously lost linebacker Jerod Mayo for the season with a knee injury. In an attempt to fill the void, the Patriots added to their linebacking corps on Tuesday in a trade with the Tennessee Titans for Akeem Ayers, NFL.com reported.

The deal, which is contingent upon Ayers passing a physical, includes the Patriots giving up a sixth-round draft choice to the Titans for Ayers and Tennessee’s seventh-round pick.

Ayers, 25, had two knee surgeries during the offseason and was active in just two games and played only 10 snaps for the Titans this season. He also struggled in 2013, finishing the season with only 49 tackles and a sack after posting 104 tackles and six sacks in 2012.