FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins’ status is up in the air for Sunday’s Week 2 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.
The starting linebacker is listed as questionable with a thigh injury on the Patriots’ injury report. Defensive end Michael Buchanan (ankle), defensive tackles Chris Jones (ankle) and Sealver Siliga (hand) and center Ryan Wendell (knee) also are questionable for Sunday’s game in Minnesota.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski’s status has improved to probable this week. Siliga and Gronkowski, both listed on the injury report as questionable last week, played against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. Jones and Buchanan were inactive for the Patriots’ matchup against the Dolphins.
If Collins misses Sunday’s game, either Chandler Jones (in a 3-4) or Rob Ninkovich (in a 4-3) likely will shift to linebacker in the Patriots’ starting defense, as New England brings in a bigger defensive lineman to help stop Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings’ run game.
