The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are in jeopardy of missing key contributors that could affect the outcome of Sunday’s matchup.
The New England Patriots will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the home opener at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, but neither team will be at full strength when they take the field.
While each team has already ruled out key pieces for Week 2 — notably wide receiver A.J. Brown (injured reserve) for New England and Joey Porter Jr. (non-football injury/conditioning/back) for Pittsburgh — one matchup along the boundary still hangs in the balance, and could go a long way towards determining the outcome of the game.
Here’s who could be missing for the Patriots and Steelers on Sunday afternoon:
CB Carlton Davis III
Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III (7) reacts after intercepting the ball in the second quarter against Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn ImagesOn the New England sideline, cornerback Carlton Davis III did not participate in practice all week after an apparent neck injury was sustained in Week 1’s 13-10 loss at the Seattle Seahawks. Davis missed several plays during that game, but did return to action relatively quickly to finish out the night. That carried over into the week, as his three consecutive missed practices would suggest his game day status would be in doubt. Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel, however, declined to rule him out for the game early. When asked by reporters if it’s safe to assume Davis won’t be playing at Friday’s press conference, Vrabel commented:
“Oh, I don’t assume, but he’ll be questionable. We’ll have to see how he comes in here tomorrow. We’ll continue to evaluate, and then if the designation changes, we’ll update everybody.”
Davis, Christian Gonzalez, and Marcus Jones combine to form one of the great strengths of New England’s defense in the secondary. Playing opposite Gonzalez, Davis was an essential figure during the 2025 playoff run, lowering his regular season passer rating allowed from 99.8 to an outstanding 22.5, allowed no touchdowns, registered three pass breakups, and grabbed two interceptions against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round. Davis is listed with a “questionable” designation for Sunday.
While the Patriots’ starting outside corners can nullify the threat of even the most potent passing attacks around the NFL, major question marks in the depth behind them have lingered through the offseason and have been unresolved through the early stages of their 2026 campaign.
First off the bench to replace Davis would be Charles Woods — an in-season addition from the Los Angeles Rams in 2025 that had been the coaching staff’s preferred rotational outside cornerback through the offseason.
Woods struggled to keep pace with opposing receivers through training camp and preseason games, culminating in a full game of action in preseason Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns where he was targeted five times in coverage and allowed five receptions, 69 yards, one touchdown, and a perfect passer-rating against of 158.3, per PFF. He was also credited with two missed tackles against Cleveland. Of the fifteen players who took coverage snaps for New England against the Browns, Woods (34.9) received the second-lowest grade in the game.
Without Davis in the lineup, a full game of Woods could be the subject of several downfield looks from Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh passing offense — but his potential absence is matched by an equally impactful injury from the opposition.
WR Michael Pittman Jr.
Sep 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) runs after a catch during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn ImagesStar wide receiver D.K. Metcalf may generate all the buzz on a weekly basis for the Steelers, but following a difficult Week 1 that saw the former Seattle standout drop two passes and get called for two offensive pass interference penalties while posting a PFF grade of 49.8 (28th of 29 wide receivers), Pittsburgh’s long-held need for a counter-punch was made glaringly apparent.
The Steelers filled that hole this offseason, trading for former Indianapolis Colts’ top wideout Michael Pittman Jr. to expand their offensive arsenal. Coming off of a 2025 season in which he registered 80 catches on 111 targets, 784 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns, Pittman was the Steelers’ leading receiver in Week 1. The 6’4”, 223-pounder caught all three of his targets and racked up 58 yards against the Atlanta Falcons last week.
Pittman began Week 2 listed as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice session with a foot injury, but that was the last time he took the field for Pittsburgh in preparation for Sunday. He did not participate on Thursday and Friday, leaving his availability in doubt against the Patriots. Like Davis, Pittman carries a “questionable” designation into the weekend.
If he’s unable to suit up, the Steelers’ top replacement on the outside would be Ben Skowronek — a six-year veteran that totaled four receptions, 69 receiving yards, and one touchdown throughout the entirety of the 2025 regular season. Skowronek has not registered more than 69 yards in a season since his sophomore campaign with the Rams in 2022, and has amassed 67 receptions on 104 targets, 713 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in his career.
Looking Ahead
Nov 23, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III (7) breaks up a pass to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley (82) in the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-USA TODAY Network via Imagn ImagesLosing Davis for Sunday’s contest would give Rodgers and Pittsburgh an obvious deficiency to target in the New England secondary, but with Pittman trending in the same direction, the consequences may be mitigated. Each are key components to their respective units, but their matching statuses could level the playing field come game time.
UPDATE: Carlton Davis III and Michael Pittman Jr. have been ruled OUT for Sunday's game since the release of this article.
How do you think the Patriots’ secondary would hold up without Davis in the lineup? Would Pittman’s potential absence have a similar impact? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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