The New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars have revealed inactive players ahead of Sunday afternoon’s contest.
The New England Patriots (1-1) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) are nearing kickoff for Sunday afternoon’s clash between AFC contenders.
Now less than 90 minutes until the action gets underway, both teams have revealed their inactive players for Week 3. From missing key pieces to practice squad elevations and new faces in the lineup for game day, both rosters are set — and feature some interesting developments that will be worth monitoring.
Here’s who’s in — and out — of New England’s late September battle in Jacksonville:
Inactives
New England Patriots
The following players on the Patriots’ 53-man roster will not be active this afternoon:
- OT Dametrious Crownover
- ED Dre’Mont Jones
- QB Behren Morton
- TE Eli Raridon
- DT Leonard Taylor III
- S Craig Woodson
Headlining the list of inactive players for New England is second-year safety Craig Woodson, who exited last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a shoulder injury. Woodson was spotted in an arm sling post-game, but shed that during the week as he worked his way back to form. He did not participate (DNP) in practice on Wednesday or Thursday, but returned in limited fashion on Friday. His inactive status for Sunday comes as no surprise, but leaves the Patriots thin at the third-level.
Also notable among the inactives list for New England is rookie tight end Eli Raridon, who left Week 2’s contest after just 11 snaps with a thigh injury. There was optimism early in the week that Raridon may be able to play after being a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Those feelings shifted after he logged two consecutive DNPs on Thursday and Friday.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars will not be dressing the following players:
- OL Daniel Faalele
- S Jalen Huskey
- LB Jack Kiser
- DT Albert Regis
- WR C.J. Williams
- ED Wesley Williams
Rookie defensive tackle Albert Regis (elbow) was added to the injury report as a limited participant on Friday and carried a doubtful injury designation into the weekend. He was the only player on Jacksonville's side listed with a game status.
Injury Report
The Patriots may have been the only team to rule out players ahead of Sunday's showdown, but there will be some key contributors missing from the lineup when each takes the field:
New England Patriots
In addition to the extended absence of wide receiver A.J. Brown, who continues to work his way back from a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 1’s loss at the Seattle Seahawks, New England ruled out edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones and added three more players to injured reserve this week.
Jones was injured on linebacker Christian Elliss’ strip sack/forced fumble in the second quarter last week in an attempt to pick up the loose football. He was brought back to the locker room after the play, and did not participate in practice this week. Through one game-plus, the free agent acquisition tied for the team-lead in sacks (one) and registered a high mark for the Patriots’ defense with a 24.1% pass-rush win-rate (per PFF).
Starting right guard Mike Onwenu was quickly placed on the reserve list early this week with a broken ankle; he was carted off the field after being rolled-up on by edge rusher T.J. Watt last Sunday. Onwenu will be replaced in the lineup by veteran Greg Van Roten — a full-time starter for the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders in each of the last three seasons.
New England also placed safety Dell Pettus on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2. Pettus started the year as the third rotational safety behind captain Kevin Byard III and Craig Woodson. Without Pettus or Woodson in the lineup this week, more significant playing time will be offered to Jaylen Reed, who was acquired in a preseason trade with the Houston Texans in exchange for wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. Reed saw an expanded role in the second half of last week’s game against the Steelers when injuries were mounting.
On Friday, the Patriots also added rookie edge rusher Quintayvious Hutchins (knee) to injured reserve. The former Boston College Eagles’ star was drafted in the seventh round (No. 247 overall) by New England this spring and saw his first extensive game action in the second half of Week 2’s win over Pittsburgh.
The Patriots now have 16 players added to the injured reserve list in 2026 — matching their total from the 2025 season.
Jacksonville Jaguars
While the Jaguars have experienced much better fortune with player health than New England, they’ll also be missing some pieces on Sunday.
On September 16, Jacksonville placed rotational edge rusher B.J. Green on injured reserve with an elbow injury. He joins starting right guard Patrick Mekari on the list. Mekari (back) was added to injured reserve with a designation to return on August 31.
Practice Squad Elevations
These players were called-up from the practice squad for Sunday’s game:
New England Patriots
After signing edge rusher Jose Ramirez and punter Mitch Wishnowsky to the 53-man roster earlier this week, New England elevated two players from the practice squad for Sunday afternoon’s contest: safety Mike Brown and defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
Brown originally signed as an unrestricted free agent on March 12 and projected to fill the third safety role behind starters Byard and Woodson with active participation through the early offseason program. He was surpassed by the incumbent Pettus in training camp, and his place on the roster was in jeopardy well before the Patriots acquired Reed. Brown returns to the lineup as a veteran depth piece in a thinning group of safeties, and can be expected to provide contributions on special teams and defense on short notice.
Pharms is one of New England’s longest tenured players and was originally signed by the Patriots as a free agent on July 19, 2022. He’s been elevated to the active roster on several occasions, but has been a mainstay on the practice squad for the greater part of the last four years. Yet another layer of depth in the center of the defensive line, Pharms saw his most extensive action in 2024 when he appeared in 16 regular season games and recorded 31 tackles and two sacks.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars made one practice squad elevation this week, adding linebacker Jalen McLeod to the active roster for the second time in as many weeks.
McLeod made his NFL debut in Week 2 and played on 10 special teams snaps after spending the 2025 season on injured reserve. He was originally drafted by Jacksonville in the sixth round (No. 194 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
In Weeks 1 and 2, the Jaguars elevated veteran quarterback Nick Mullens from the practice squad to serve as Trevor Lawrence’s backup. No such call-up was made this week, positioning former Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Quinn Ewers as the first man off-the-bench in the event of injury.
How do you think New England will fare in this afternoon’s clash between two AFC contenders in Jacksonville? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
–
Recent Articles:
Check out the Patriots Roundtable Podcast!
