Warren wouldn't say if he was going to play on Sunday against the Bills. (AP)

FOXBORO — Nose tackle Vince Wilfork wasn’t around this morning when the media was allowed into the Patriots locker room, but fellow defensive lineman Ty Warren was more than happy to sing the praises of the New England nose tackle, who currently leads all AFC interior linemen in Pro Bowl voting.

“Rightfully so. Rightfully so,” Warren said of Wilfork. “He means a lot to this defense and obviously, the nose tackle position is a real important position to this defense. He’s done good playing that position all year. Rightfully so.”

Wilfork was sidelined twice with injuries in Sunday’s win over Carolina — in the second half against the Panthers, he went down with what the Patriots called a “foot” injury and did not return.

“It’s part of the game. It happens in every game, at every position at some point. He’ll be OK. That’s the name of the game,” Warren said. “I’m not saying he’ll be all right for this game or anything like that. I’m just saying the way he handles his business as a professional, he’ll be all right either way it goes. I’m not predicting he’s going to be up for the game or not.”

Warren was also sidelined in Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, one that has dogged him for a good portion of the season. With Wilfork and Warren on the sidelines, the Patriots relied on Mike Wright and youngster Titus Adams, and were able to do a good job holding the vaunted Carolina running game in check.

“When guys go down, other guys have to come in. That’s why everybody has to know every position out there on the field,” said Warren, who wouldn’t handicap his chances for playing on Sunday. (Both Warren and Wilfork were among the missing at the media portion of practice later on Wednesday afternoon.)

“When you go in and get thrown in the fire, at this time of the year when everybody is playing their best ball, it’s not going to always look pretty,” Warren said of Adams, who played in his first NFL game on Sunday. “But I think he did good going in there and doing what he could do.”