The Patriots are making two telling practice squad elevations for Sunday night's contest against the Dolphins at Gillette Stadium.
New England has elevated LB Calvin Munson and WR Jalen Reagor from the practice squad, making them eligible to play in Week 2. This is Munson's second practice squad elevation in as many weeks, giving the special-teamer one more elevation of the maximum three before the Patriots will need to put the linebacker on the 53-man roster to have him active on game day. As for Reagor, this is his first elevations after the speedy wideout signed to the practice squad following roster cuts in late August.
Before we get into what both players will bring to the team, assuming they're active, it's also worth noting that the Patriots didn't elevate any offensive linemen from the practice squad this week. The Pats had four O-Linemen on the final injury report with a questionable designation, leaving six fully healthy offensive linemen on the 53-man roster.
Since the team didn't elevate any practice squad offensive linemen, it signals that they feel good about at least two of those injured linemen playing in Sunday's game. Most weeks, the Patriots will have eight offensive linemen active on game day, with the minimum being seven.
From this perspective, the decision not to elevate any offensive linemen from the practice squad bodes well for starting guards Cole Strange (knee) and Michael Onwenu (ankle) making their season debuts on Sunday, which would obviously be great news for the offense. With both players in concussion protocol, it still seems unlikely that starting left tackle Trent Brown or rookie G/T Sidy Sow will play vs. Miami.
Based on what we know, the Patriots offensive line could look like this: LT Vederian Lowe, G Cole Strange, C David Andrews, RG Mike Onwenu, and RT Calvin Anderson. If one of the guards can't play, expect rookie Atonio Mafi to take their place in the starting lineup.
Returning to Munson and Reagor, the former first-round receiver has an explosive gear that could bring a speed element to the offense. Reagor can clear out coverage on vertical routes, win foot races on crossers, and carry the ball on jet sweep actions. With veteran receiver DeVante Parker (knee) questionable, forcing first-year WR Kayshon Boutte into a significant role as the primary "X" receiver, Reagor could cut into Boutte's snaps in the event that Parker can't play again.
Boutte is a promising rookie with developmental upside as a once highly-touted prospect, but he struggled with his footwork along the sideline in Week 1. With a few weeks of practice to learn the playbook now under his belt, Reagor should be ready for a game-day role.
As for Munson, the veteran linebacker played 14 special-teams snaps, or 48 percent, in the kicking game in the regular-season opener vs. the Eagles. Munson projects as a core special teams contributor for another week, with the team likely looking for a 53-man roster spot in the future.
The Patriots will host the division-rival Dolphins at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
