The Patriots final injury report ahead of Sunday's matchup vs. the Dolphins in Miami is here, and New England's defense will be down two notable contributors.
New England ruled out star CB Christian Gonzalez (hamstring) and DE Keion White (illness). The Patriots also listed RT Morgan Moses (foot) and LB Marte Mapu (neck) as questionable for Sunday's Week 2 matchup.
After he was held out of practice again this week, the reigning second-team All-Pro cornerback hasn't practiced with the team since early in training camp (July 28), when he pulled up grabbing the back of his leg covering a pass route. Although he won't play for the second consecutive week, head coach Mike Vrabel gave an update on Gonzalez earlier this week as the third-year corner continues to work hard to get back on the field.
"He's continuing to improve, which is positive, and working hard," Vrabel said. "Just working hard and keep improving, staying engaged, still preparing as a starter, asking questions in the meetings and all those things."
Along with an update from Vrabel, Patriots CBs coach Justin Hamilton shared some information on Gonzalez's day-to-day while he's rehabbing.
"He's doing everything he can in the training room...his spirits have been good. I give him a copy of the practice script every day. Take one out to him so he can keep up with it, and he stays on top of it. He always knows what call we're in. He always knows what should happen. We look at the surface between series, and he's watching with us. Hopefully, we get him back soon," Hamilton told Patriots.com on Thursday.
It's disappointing that the Patriots will be down their star corner, especially in a matchup against Miami's prolific wide receiver duo, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. One would expect the Patriots to lean on the same cornerback trio as Week 1: free-agent addition Carlton Davis, captain Marcus Jones, and third-year CB Alex Austin.
New England's depth on the edge of the defense will also be tested without White against a Dolphins rushing attack that likes to run off-tackle. The good news is that starting edge rusher Harold Landry, who was limited this week with a foot injury, will play. Landry will likely start on the edge opposite starter K'Lavon Chaisson. Last week, Landry primarily rushed over the right tackle, and Chaisson rushed over the left tackle. The Pats also rotated undrafted rookie Elijah Ponder in, while vet Anfernee Jennings was a game-day inactive.
Given that White won't play due to illness, Jennings will likely be active this week. Jennings has proven to be a sturdy edge-setter in the run game, while his pass rush ability flashes during preseason action this summer, where he recorded three sacks and four total pressures. Luckily, the Patriots have NFL-ready depth in Jennings to fill in for White. On Friday, Vrabel was asked about what he has seen from Jennings behind the scenes.
"Very ready," Vrabel said of Jennings' preparedness to play on Sunday. "We had to make a tough decision last week. We can only have so many active guys, so I'm excited to see Anfernee play. He's always been prepared and taking advantage of his opportunities. He'll continue, I would imagine, doing that on Sunday and play hard and play physical."
Lastly, reserve linebacker Marte Mapu, who was listed as questionable due to a neck injury, could be a factor against a speedy Dolphins defense. Mapu is an athletic coverage linebacker who might have a role on defense this week, but he continues to have neck issues after being on and off the injury report with a neck injury last season. Mapu's game-day status will be one to monitor during pre-game warmups in Miami on Sunday.
As for the offensive line, starting RT Morgan Moses (foot) is officially questionable. However, the veteran has routinely played through injuries in his career, so it would take a lot for Moses to miss Sunday's game. If he can't play or is limited, Vrabel told reporters that rookie OT Marcus Bryant will be the top backup at right tackle. Bryant, a seventh-round draft choice, elevated to the top swing tackle role with a strong training camp. Assuming that Moses gives it a go on Sunday, the Patriots projected starting offensive line is the same as Week 1: LT Will Campbell, LG Jared Wilson, C Garrett Bradbury, RG Mike Onwenu, RT Morgan Moses.
New England is heading down to Miami searching for the first win of the Vrabel era. They're also looking to get a monkey off their back by winning a game against Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa for the first time (7-0) while earning the Patriots first win at Hard Rock Stadium since 2019. With the Patriots traveling to South Florida on Saturday afternoon, we'll have updates on any roster changes or practice squad elevations.
The Patriots and the Dolphins clash at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami with kickoff at 1 p.m. ET 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
