The New England Patriots’ defense already is allowing the most yards per game in the NFL by far, and they could be without a defensive starter Thursday night when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Linebacker Elandon Roberts suffered an ankle injury Sunday in the Patriots’ 33-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers. If the Patriots had practiced Monday, he would not have participated, according to the team’s injury report. Roberts was on the field Tuesday during a Patriots walk-through.
It seems likely Roberts will at least be listed as questionable to play against the Buccaneers, who will be left guessing who will be lined up in the middle of the field on “Thursday Night Football.”
There are multiple options if the Patriots need to replace Roberts. The first, and perhaps easiest, would be placing David Harris at Roberts’ inside linebacker position. Harris was inactive Sunday against the Panthers and has played just seven defensive snaps all season. There would be no trickle-down effect of moving players to other positions if Harris was the answer.
The downside to Harris playing more is that there’s likely a reason why he’s only played seven defensive snaps all season. If he doesn’t start or play with Roberts out, then we’re left wondering why the veteran even is on the team.
Another option is what the Patriots did Sunday after Roberts left the game, and that’s moving Kyle Van Noy from outside linebacker to inside and playing Marquis Flowers in Van Noy’s usual role.
Flowers, who mostly contributes on special teams, might be the Patriots’ most athletic linebacker, but he’s still learning the system and struggled as a run defender.
The Patriots also could align how they did in Week 1 with Jordan Richards, a safety, at outside linebacker with Van Noy in the middle. Roberts also is athletic, but the Patriots’ run defense suffered in the regular-season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs because he isn’t as big or strong as a linebacker.
The final, and perhaps most intriguing, option is moving Dont’a Hightower back inside, where he played prior to the 2017 season. Hightower has been deployed as an edge defender through two games and hasn’t made the impact as a pass rusher many expected, though he did get a key sack in Week 4 against the Panthers. Moving Hightower to inside linebacker would allow Van Noy to stay at outside linebacker. The Patriots would have to find a fill-in for Hightower on the edge, however. They could use Adam Butler, Deatrich Wise Jr. or Cassius Marsh in that role. The Patriots likely would rotate those players to fill in Hightower’s typical role.
Playing Hightower inside is dependent on his health, however. Hightower only played 58.7 percent of snaps Sunday as he returned from a knee injury. He likely would need to play nearly 100 percent of snaps if he were to play at middle linebacker.
Roberts’ specialty is run defense, so the Buccaneers might try to exploit the Patriots by heavily using running back Doug Martin, who will be returning from a four-game suspension. The Patriots have struggled so much in pass coverage, however, that they might invite being gashed on the ground if it means not allowing quite as many big plays through the air.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
