The New England Patriots could receive an internal boost at four positions this week thanks to the NFL's new rules governing the injured reserve list.
Since the Patriots placed running back Damien Harris, wide receiver Gunner Olszewski, offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste and defensive tackle Beau Allen on IR in the week between roster cuts and Week 1, those players are eligible to return off of injured reserve this week.
Previously, only two players could return off of injured reserve per team after missing eight games. Now, an unlimited amount of players can return off of IR after just three weeks. The rule was loosened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Patriots first would have to designate a player to return to have them begin practicing. New England then would have 21 days to activate that player to the 53-man roster.
"We'll see how it goes," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday. "The first step would be to practice a player who's on injured reserve and then whether he would be active or not would depend on what happened during the course of the week. Sometimes those guys -- they're not ready to play as soon as they start practicing -- they need another week or two.
"If we do that, it'll be based on that player's individual situation and how we can evaluate the guy during the time we have to look at him, whether that's a week, two weeks, three weeks, whatever it is. First step would be to start them in practice and that starts the clock running on the activation process. Then it becomes an evaluation as we just take it day-by-day."
The Patriots' first practice of the week is Wednesday afternoon.
Allen is the most-needed player on injured reserve. He's been injured since this summer and never practiced in front of reporters. The Patriots have bought time until Allen returns by temporarily elevating defensive tackles Nick Thurman and Xavier Williams off of the practice squad. The Patriots can temporarily elevate Williams off of their practice squad one more time. They've run out of temporary elevations for Thurman and would have to sign him to their 53-man roster if they want him to play again this season.
The Patriots have struggled to defend the run without a big body in the middle of their defense like Allen, who is New England's heaviest defender at 327 pounds. He was viewed as one of the Patriots' top free-agent additions but has been missing in action all season.
Harris would join a suddenly crowded backfield that includes Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, J.J. Taylor and James White. White has missed the last two games after the death of his father. The Patriots eventually will have to decide whether to dress Harris or Taylor on game day. The Patriots could delay the decision by waiting to designate Harris for return, even though he might be the team's most complete and explosive running back.
Olszewski would help fill out the Patriots' wide receiver depth, joining Julian Edelman, N'Keal Harry, Damiere Byrd and Jakobi Meyers. The Patriots temporarily elevated Isaiah Zuber from the practice squad last week. Olszewski looked like the Patriots' second-best wide receiver at times in training camp, and he could immediately provide a boost to that unit.
It seems unlikely the Patriots would immediately activate Cajuste since their offensive line depth is pretty solid despite center David Andrews' broken hand. They have Justin Herron, Hjalte Froholdt and James Ferentz backing up starters Isaiah Wynn, Mike Onwenu, Joe Thuney, Shaq Mason and Jermaine Eluemunor. Offensive tackle Korey Cunningham has been a healthy scratch through three weeks. Cajuste likely would just join Cunningham on the inactive list.
The Patriots currently have 52 players on their active roster, meaning they have one open spot to activate a player. The Patriots could open additional spots by attempting to pass Cunningham, Ferentz or cornerback Myles Bryant through waivers and onto the practice squad.
