FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots offseason addition Adrian Clayborn will be back on the field Sunday after he closed out the season as a healthy scratch in consecutive weeks.
While Clayborn is active, fellow defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (ankle) is inactive. Wise was questionable heading into the week. This is the first game of Wise’s two-year career that he’ll miss.
Here’s the full list of inactives:
DE Keionta Davis
DE Deatrich Wise Jr. (ankle)
DE Ufomba Kamalu
OL James Ferentz
CB Duke Dawson
S Obi Melifonwu
TE Stephen Anderson
— Davis, Kamalu, Ferentz, Dawson, Melifonwu and Anderson all are healthy scratches.
— Clayborn, Trey Flowers, John Simon and Derek Rivers are active at defensive end with Davis, Wise and Kamalu out. Kamalu being inactive and Clayborn playing tells me the Patriots are going into this game trying to generate a pass rush.
— The Patriots, as usual, will dress starting offensive linemen LT Trent Brown, LG Joe Thuney, C David Andrews, RG Shaq Mason and RT Marcus Cannon and backups LaAdrian Waddle and Ted Karras.
— Dawson still hasn’t played his entire rookie season. The Patriots trust Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones and Keion Crossen more at cornerback.
— Melifonwu gives way to Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon and Nate Ebner at safety. Jason McCourty also can play safety in a pinch.
— Anderson was signed off the practice squad this week when the Patriots placed Jacob Hollister on injured reserve. Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen will dress at tight end.
