EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New England Patriots have released their inactive list for Sunday’s must-win matchup with the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
The following players will not suit up for this Week 8 clash:
C David Andrews
S Kyle Dugger
DL Christian Barmore
DL Sam Roberts
RB Kevin Harris
CB Shaun Wade
Andrews (concussion), Dugger (ankle) and Barmore (knee) did not travel with the team. Roberts, Harris and Wade are healthy scratches.
Some inactive list notes:
— Veteran James Ferentz will start at center, with elevated practice squadder Kody Russey backing him up. This will be the first start since last October for the 33-year-old Ferentz and his first at center since Week 17 of the 2020 season. He’s been with the Patriots since 2017 but has started just six career games.
“James Ferentz is a great player who’s been in our system a long time,” offensive line coach Matt Patricia said Friday. “(He’s) extremely smart, and he and David are really the guys that handle all the communication on a daily basis anyway. We practice those guys in there. David’s a great player, has obviously done a great job for us inside. This week, James will be in that situation, and he’ll be able to help us there.”
The Patriots’ interior O-line will face a major challenge Sunday against New York’s Quinnen Williams, who has five sacks this season and is Pro Football Focus’s fourth-highest-graded defensive tackle. It’ll be on Ferentz and guards Cole Strange and Mike Onwenu to keep Williams from hounding Mac Jones as the quarterback works his way back from a high ankle sprain.
— Dugger’s absence pushes second-year safety Joshuah Bledsoe back into the gameday lineup. Bledsoe hasn’t played since Week 3 (when Dugger sat out with a knee injury) and has logged just five career defensive snaps. Expect him to be the Patriots’ fourth safety behind Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers.
— Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne draws back in after missing last week with turf toe. He and Nelson Agholor both have been frequently mentioned in trade rumors, and with the trade deadline coming up this Tuesday, this could be either player’s final game in a Patriots uniform. Agholor came back from a hamstring injury last week but played just three snaps against Chicago.
We’ll see how the wideout snaps are distributed Sunday with Bourne, Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton all active.
— Speaking of potential trade candidates, struggling right tackle Isaiah Wynn is active after sitting out the Bears game with a shoulder injury. Will he reclaim his starting spot, or will the Patriots stick with Marcus Cannon there? Cannon started last week and replaced Wynn in two of the previous three games after the latter was benched.
Yodny Cajuste will provide additional tackle depth after he was activated off injured reserve Saturday.
— Linebacker Josh Uche returns after a two-game absence. The situational pass rusher had been dealing with a hamstring issue.
— The Jets curiously elevated fourth-string quarterback Chris Streveler from their practice squad on Saturday. Since Streveler is a talented rusher, that move sparked speculation that New York might look to exploit the problems New England has had against mobile QBs this season.
Well, so much for that. Streveler is inactive, as is veteran signal-caller Joe Flacco. Mike White will be QB2 behind starter Zach Wilson.
This might have been a bit of gamesmanship from head coach Robert Saleh, forcing the Patriots to do a bit of late-week prep work for looks that New York never planned to run.
