FOXBORO — He was brought in to add some veteran depth to a position that needed some several months ago. But with Wes Welker looking more and more healed with every practice and Julian Edelman looking more and more like a first-stringer, it appears the Patriots could play it safe with Torry Holt.

So, while surprising to a few, the decision to place Holt on season-ending injured reserve on Sunday with a reported knee injury doesn’t come as a shock and neither did the explanation from Patriots personnel director Nick Caserio on Monday morning.

“I think the decision with Torry, we just felt that was the best thing for the club at this point in time,” Caserio said. “Torry came in, he worked hard, he did everything we’ve asked him to do, a total professional. He’s been a really good player and had a really productive career but in the end, we have to make decisions that we feel are best for the club so that’s what we did.”

Asked if this injury had been lingering for a while for Holt, who missed some time practice time prior to the team’s preseason opener with New Orleans last Thursday, Caserio reiterated the Patriots wanted to play it safe.

“He may have missed a few days there at the end so we just went with the decision that we felt was best,” he said.

Holt signed a one-year deal on April 20 worth $1.7 million.

The team brought back receiver Buddy Farnham to take Holt’s place and also signed rookie offensive lineman Brian Simmons on Sunday to the roster.