MUNICH – The Patriots are making final preparations to play the Detroit Lions at Allianz Stadium in Germany on Sunday, and injuries continue to impact New England's roster this week.
Heading into Week 10, New England ruled out starting CB Carlton Davis III (knee), C/G Ben Brown (knee), and RB TreVeyon Henderson (illness). The Patriots are also listing nine players as questionable for Sunday's game vs. the Lions: WR A.J. Brown (ankle/knee), RB Rhamondre Stevenson (knee), S Kevin Byard III (chest), TE Cameron Latu (back), OL Walter Rouse (concussion), S Brenden Schooler (hamstring), CB Charles Woods (hamstring), FB Reggie Gilliam (knee), and C/G Greg Van Roten (hamstring).
On offense, star wideout A.J. Brown returned to practice this week after sitting out the last two games with a knee injury that flared up in practice. Brown practiced in a limited capacity throughout the week and seems to be tracking toward returning as soon as Sunday. The Pats top wideout has played in only 3-of-9 games this season, catching nine passes for 101 receiving yards. Obviously, that's not the result anyone hoped for when the Patriots traded a 2028 first-round pick to acquire Brown this offseason.
That said, there's still plenty of season left for Brown to make an impact. The 29-year-old's return to practice is a positive sign. However, there's also a discussion to be had about Brown returning when the Patriots bye week follows their game in Munich. New England might hold off on Brown's return until after their Week 11 bye, giving him an extra two weeks of rest. Based on his practice participation and the fact that he made the trip, all signs point toward Brown playing on Sunday.
At running back, the Patriots could be down their top two backs on Sunday. Along with Henderson being out due to illness, top RB Rhamondre Stevenson is officially questionable after participating in a limited capacity in the two practices in Munich. Early reports indicated that Stevenson would miss games due to his knee injury, so it's a pleasant surprise that the Pats lead back at least has a chance to play on Sunday.
If Stevenson can't play or is limited, third back Corey Kiner figures to get a bulk of the early-down carries. Kiner has shown good burst, vision, and jump-cut ability in limited carries. He's averaging an impressive 4.9 yards per rush and has seven explosive runs (10-plus yards). Kiner has been a nice find and was pushing for more carries even in a healthy backfield. However, Stevenson is also a highly productive back in the passing game, both as a receiver and pass blocker.
The Pats RB1 hauled in a 30-yard touchdown vs. Green Bay last week, creating a mismatch against a linebacker on a wheel route, while Stevenson has almost weekly blocking highlights in blitz protection. To manage Stevenson's knee injury, one option might be to have him play only in passing situations. Along with his ability to execute blocks, the Patriots blitz-protection system is highly complex, so Stevenson at less than 100 percent might be New England's best option, even if it's just in a limited role on passing downs.
New England tried second-year RB Lan Larison in passing situations when Stevenson left the loss to the Packers, and Larison struggled in pass protection (two pressures). If Stevenson is inactive, the Patriots could also elevate practice-squad RB Terrell Jennings. However, Jennings is more of a downhill between-the-tackles runner. So, whether New England's healthy backs can execute in blitz protection is a huge question mark.
Along with the running backs blocking, the Patriots are also tracking toward starting their sixth different offensive line combination through 10 games. Backup G Walter Rouse is working through the NFL's concussion protocol. Rouse still has a chance to play, while the Pats could activate veteran C/G Greg Van Roten from injured reserve, who was a full participant in Friday's practice. New England's most likely starting five is LT Will Campbell, LG Greg Van Roten, C Jared Wilson, RG Matt Pryor, and RT Morgan Moses.
Moving over to the defense, the Patriots are once again shorthanded at cornerback with Davis III (knee) set to miss his fifth game this season. Davis will miss his fifth game of the season due to his injured knee, after missing four games with a neck injury. After being a late scratch last week, the good news is that fourth CB Charles Woods (hamstring) practiced all three days and was a full participant Friday.
Hopefully, Woods's increased workload in practice is a sign he's on track to play vs. the Lions. Woods has mostly been the Patriots top backup at outside corner when Davis or Christian Gonzalez are out. On Sunday, one would think that the Patriots would lean on Gonzalez, Woods, and NCB Marcus Jones, while rookie CB Karon Prunty serves as the fourth cornerback. The Pats could also elevate CB Kindle Vildor from the practice squad as more experienced depth behind its three starting corners.
With the team continuing to manage injuries, the Patriots could activate Gilliam and Van Roten from injured reserve on Saturday. New England has now used five of its eight IR-return designations on WR Mack Hollins, OT Marcus Bryant, Brown, Gilliam, and Van Roten. The Patriots only have three more IR-return spots for the rest of the regular season, with WR Romeo Doubs (shoulder) and G Alijah Vera-Tucker (hamstring) as top return candidates after the Patriots Week 11 bye.
After ruling out three players, the Patriots will likely use practice squad elevations to add roster depth. Depending on Stevenson's status, Jennings could be elevated from the practice squad, as could backup guards Andrew Rupcich or Xavier Newman-Johnson. If the Pats don't need guard or running back depth, Vildor could be an option as well – we'll keep you updated.
The Patriots will then square off against the Lions at Allianz Stadium in Munich on Sunday.
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
