Patriots-Bills Inactives Reaction: Defensive Starter Back In Action

The New England Patriots will only be down one cornerback Saturday when they take on the Buffalo Bills.

Slot cornerback Jonathan Jones is inactive with a groin injury, but Jason McCourty is back from his own groin ailment.

Here’s the Patriots’ full list of inactives:

QB Cody Kessler
RB Damien Harris
TE Ryan Izzo
OT Korey Cunningham
OL Jermaine Eluemunor
DT Byron Cowart
CB Jonathan Jones (groin)

— Kessler, Harris, Izzo, Cunningham, Eluemunor and Cowart all are healthy scratches. Harris and Cowart are rookies. Kessler, Cunningham and Eluemunor all didn’t spend training camp with the Patriots and were acquired late in the summer or during the season.

— McCourty, wide receiver Julian Edelman and linebackers Jamie Collins and Ja’Whaun Bentley are active despite being listed as questionable on this week’s injury report.

— Jarrett Stidham will back up quarterback Tom Brady.

— The Patriots will continue to roll with Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead and Brandon Bolden over Harris at running back.

— Ben Watson and Matt LaCosse will share tight end duties.

— James Ferentz and Marshall Newhouse will back up starting offensive linemen Isaiah Wynn, Joe Thuney, Ted Karras, Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon.

— Defensive tackles Danny Shelton, Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler will play over Cowart.

— McCourty likely will play Jones’ regular slot role, joining Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson in the starting cornerback roles. The Patriots’ other options there in the slot are Jackson or safety Patrick Chung.

Here are the Bills’ inactives: