Patriots Lose Starting Receiver To Early Knee Injury Vs. Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New England Patriots could be forced to play nearly all of their Week 8 game at MetLife Stadium without one of their starting wide receivers.

DeVante Parker suffered a knee injury on the first offensive snap of Sunday’s matchup with the New York Jets. Quarterback Mac Jones targeted Parker on the play, but his pass was behind the wideout and broken up.

Parker was evaluated in the medical tent on the Patriots’ sideline and later walked to the locker room under his own power.

The Patriots carried a full allotment of receivers into Sunday’s game, with Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor both active after recently missing time with injuries. Those two and Parker joined top wideout Jakobi Meyers and rookie Tyquan Thornton on the gameday roster.

The severity of Parker’s injury was not immediately clear, but if it proves significant, it could impact how the Patriots approach this Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. Bourne and Agholor both have been rumored as trade candidates given their relative lack of production this season and New England’s depth at the position.

Parker, who was acquired from the Miami Dolphins in an offseason trade, entered Sunday with 15 catches for 321 yards and one touchdown, including highlight-reel contested grabs in each of the Patriots’ previous two games.