FOXBORO - The Patriots’ home game against the Raiders arrives with New England at 2-2, but the bigger storyline is the injury pileup that keeps reshaping the roster.
For Week 5, the secondary is the sharpest concern. Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis are both out again, while Karon Prunty and Channing Canada will also miss the game with hamstring injuries.
Gonzalez has now missed six straight practices and won’t dress, even though he told reporters after Week 3 that he felt “good.” Davis, New England’s most physical corner at the line of scrimmage, is dealing with a neck injury that also kept him out of the Week 2 win over Pittsburgh.
That leaves the Patriots thin at cornerback. Kindle Vildor was signed off the practice squad to the 53-man roster to help cover the losses, but New England is still heading into the game with just three active corners: Vildor, Marcus Jones and Charles Woods, who came into the day questionable with a shoulder injury.
There is, though, one notable defensive return. Christian Barmore is back after missing last week with a shoulder injury. He was listed questionable along with Rhamondre Stevenson, but both are expected to go.
The Patriots are also getting a wave of debuts and season debuts. Practice squad elevation safety Elliott Davison will make his NFL debut, while linebacker K.J.
Britt and safety Brenden Schooler will make their season debuts. Morton will only be allowed to play if both Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito get hurt.
Wide receiver is another area where the numbers are tight. A.J.
Brown is out for at least one more game, and Mack Hollins has landed on injured reserve with a calf injury. New England did not elevate Kyle Dixon, Chandler Brayboy or Cameron Dorner from the practice squad, leaving the team with four active receivers for this one: Romeo Doubs, Efton Chism III, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams.
Chism, fresh off his game-winning touchdown catch in Buffalo, could see a bigger role than he had earlier in the season. He’s already earned praise from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who said, “It wouldn’t be right for me to sit up here and not talk about his work ethic and his character," offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said this week.
"Since the moment we got him, he has been at the highest level. It’s hard to say that an undrafted college free agent would be a pros pro, but I will tell you that’s what he is.
He came in with that kind of demeanor, that kind of attitude. He understands that I’m going to be ready when my time is up, and he was and has been since he’s been here."
Doubs and Chism both scored last week, but if Drake Maye and the Patriots are going to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season, they’ll need one of these receivers to really pop. Douglas and Williams are also positioned for a bigger outing.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. EST at Gillette Stadium.
Before the game, the Patriots will honor the 25th anniversary of their Super Bowl XXXVI-winning team, and at halftime Adam Vinatieri will receive his Hall of Fame induction ring. It will be the first Patriots player to get one since Richard Seymour in 2022.
New England will also break out its Pat Patriot red throwback jerseys for the first of two times this season.
In Other News...
Raiders Hot Start Just Created A Trade Deadline Question Fans Will Love
A strong start has changed the conversation around the Raiders ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, turning what looked like a sell-off scenario into a possible shopping trip. Las Vegas entered the season with plenty of outside doubt, but the early results have made it fair to ask whether the front office will look to reinforce the roster instead of merely stand pat, especially along the defensive line where help always carries extra appeal.
Khalil Mack has naturally surfaced in the speculation, which is enough to get Raiders fans talking even if the path to a reunion looks crowded with obstacles. The idea has some romance to it, but the deal itself would have to clear several hurdles, and the Raiders are also watching how other teams and situations play out, including rumblings around Marvin Harrison Jr. and the Texans as they weigh whether to wait and see how their own start unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Got An Intriguing First Look At The Raiders Top Pick
Fernando Mendoza finally got his first NFL snaps Sunday, and the setting gave the Raiders a little something to evaluate even in a lopsided game. The No. 1 overall pick came off the bench in the fourth quarter against New England and immediately looked poised, giving Las Vegas a glimpse of the player it believes can shape the offense for years to come.
Mendoza settled in quickly, completing his first five pass attempts and helping push the Raiders deep into Patriots territory before the drive fizzled out. It was only a brief cameo, and it came in a game already well out of hand, but for a rookie making his debut, there was enough there to leave Raiders fans with a reason to keep watching. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Face A Harsh Trade Deadline Question At 0-4
An 0-4 start has put the Chargers in an uncomfortable spot heading toward the Week 9 trade deadline, and around the league there is already chatter about whether they eventually have to listen on veteran pieces instead of trying to patch the season together. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack and wide receiver Quentin Johnston have come up in those conversations, which says as much about the uncertainty around the roster as it does about the urgency in Los Angeles.
Still, there is no clear sign the Chargers are eager to go that route. Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz are seen as the kind of leadership pair that could resist a wholesale sell-off, even with the losses piling up, and that leaves the league waiting to see whether frustration turns into action or whether the Chargers try to ride out the slump with the group they have. [Read more 🡒]