Unfortunately, the Patriots got disappointing news regarding one of their most prominent defenders 90 minutes before kickoff.
The Patriots released their inactive list, and it confirmed Jonathan Jones will be inactive for Sunday Night Football. Jones was limited in practice last week with an ankle injury. Jones has kept Pro Bowl receiver Tyreek Hill in check during their previous five matchups. New England will likely go with Marcus Jones and Jalen Mills to help guard Hill. That means rookie Christian Gonzalez will see another tough matchup this week against Jaylen Waddle in the secondary. Myles Bryant will also be used as a depth option against a tough Dolphins offense.
Thankfully, the Patriots are getting back two starters on the offensive line, with Cole Strange and Mike Onwenu good to go. Both players will be making their season debuts. Onwenu suffered an ankle injury and underwent ankle surgery in the offseason. He started the summer on the PUP camp but was activated shortly before the season started. Along with Onwenu, sophomore Cole Strange will help the Patriots’ offensive line. Strange had a rough start to his rookie campaign, but down the stretch, the former Chattanooga alum excelled.
Although the Patriots are getting back Owenu and Strange, Trent Brown and Sidy Sow will both be inactive tonight. Both players were dealing with a concussion and were placed in concussion protocol earlier in the week. A source told The Patriots Beat that Vederian Lowe is expected to have a major role in tonight’s matchup. Along with Lowe, Calvin Anderson and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. will serve as depth pieces.
Along with offensive line help, the Patriots are getting back veteran wideout DeVante Parker, who was questionable earlier in the week. Parker is a former Miami Dolphin who recently signed a three-year extension to stay with the Patriots. Last week, Parker was inactive, and rookie Kayshon Boutte helped fill the void in the “X” receiver spot; however, he struggled and failed to keep both feet in bounds on two occasions.
The Patriots also named four healthy scratches. Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, linebacker Anfernee Jennings, defensive lineman Sam Roberts, and cornerback Ameer Speed will not play tonight. The Patriots elevated former first-round pick Jalen Reagor from the practice squad earlier in the weekend. And with DeVante Parker back in the lineup, Boutte won’t get a chance to redeem himself until next week.
The Dolphins also have noteworthy inactive players, with starting left tackle Terron Armstead and edge Jaelan Phillips suffering injuries. Along with two starters, cornerback Elijah Campbell and tight end Julian Hill will be inactive for Miami.
The Patriots and Dolphins will square off on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 pm ET.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
