FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots face several major lineup decisions ahead of Sunday’s AFC East showdown against the New York Jets, listing wide receiver A.J. Brown, running back TreVeyon Henderson and offensive tackle Will Campbell as questionable.
Brown is working to return from an ankle injury and would need to be activated to the 53-man active roster before kickoff, Yahoo Sports reported. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Friday that the coaching staff would evaluate Brown’s physical readiness following practice.
“We won’t make that decision until tomorrow, so we’ll have to see how he responds from practice today and then go from there,” Vrabel said, according to a transcript provided by the team.
Henderson optimistic despite ankle sprain
Henderson has been dealing with an ankle issue sustained in last week’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Medical imaging revealed a high-ankle sprain, but the second-year running back took part in practice on a limited basis throughout the week, Sports Illustrated reported.
Henderson, who has rushed for 163 yards and one touchdown this season, expressed surprise at his rapid progress. He told reporters on Friday that his ankle felt better than the initial diagnosis suggested, though he acknowledged that the final call on his playing status rests with the coaching and medical staff.
If Henderson cannot suit up, New England is expected to lean on Corey Kiner, who serves as the third running back on the active roster, according to Sports Illustrated. The team also retains running backs Lan Larison and Hassan Haskins on the practice squad as possible game-day elevations.
Campbell is also questionable after being limited all week by a knee injury suffered on the same drive Henderson was hurt against Las Vegas.
Defensive reinforcements and absences
While questions linger on offense, New England received a boost in the secondary. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been removed from the official injury report and is slated to play after missing two consecutive games because of a shoulder injury, NESN reported.
The return of Gonzalez comes at a critical juncture for the Patriots defense. Cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, sidelined by a neck injury, and Karon Prunty, out with a hamstring issue, have both been ruled out for Sunday. Cornerback Channing Canada remains questionable due to a hamstring problem.
Other Patriots carrying questionable designations include offensive tackle Marcus Bryant with an ankle injury, linebacker Christian Elliss with a chest injury, and safety Craig Woodson with a shoulder issue.
Starting quarterback Drake Maye was cleared on the injury report despite dealing with a right shoulder issue. Several other Patriots were also cleared to play, including safety Kevin Byard, defensive tackle Cory Durden, linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, cornerback Marcus Jones, offensive tackle Morgan Moses and cornerback Charles Woods.
Jets face offensive shortages
The visiting Jets enter the Week 6 contest with significant roster challenges of their own. New York has already ruled out lead running back Breece Hall, alongside wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and offensive lineman Dylan Parham, according to NESN.
With Hall out of action, the Jets are expected to rely heavily on running back Braelon Allen, who rushed for 116 yards in New York’s previous outing against the Cleveland Browns. New York enters Gillette Stadium with a 2-3 record, while New England sits at 3-2 following back-to-back victories.
The Patriots must finalize any roster activations by Saturday afternoon before hosting the Jets on Sunday.
