Patriots lose two starters to Dolphins game
Running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver A.J. Brown were ruled out on Saturday, forcing New England to rely on backups.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
The New England Patriots will face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday without running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver A.J. Brown. Both players were declared inactive on Saturday after missing the team's travel day.
Brown's knee and ankle issues flared up during Wednesday practice. Henderson missed Thursday and Friday sessions due to an illness. Neither player reported any major injuries from the previous week's loss to the Bears, but both will sit out the upcoming contest.
The roster adjustments impact the offensive backfield and secondary. The Patriots have three running backs available: Rhamondre Stevenson, Corey Kiner, and Lan Larison. Larison was signed to the 53-man roster on Saturday. Kiner has already seen an increased role in recent games. The team also elevated wide receiver Ryan Miller from the practice squad on Saturday.
Miller will back up Efton Chism, DeMario Douglas, and Kyle Williams. The coaching staff expects tight ends Hunter Henry and rookie Eli Raridon to carry a heavier workload. At cornerback, the Patriots will dress Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones, and Charles Woods. This lineup leaves rookie cornerbacks Karon Prunty and Channing Canada on the inactive list. Prunty has not played since Week 3, while Canada has not played since Week 4.
The Patriots also placed safety Elliott Davison on the inactives list. He has been a regular contributor on special teams. The team retains five available safeties: Craig Woodson, Kevin Byard, Jaylen Reed, Mike Brown, and Brenden Schooler. Quarterback Behren Morton is listed as the emergency third quarterback. He may only enter the game if both Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito suffer injuries and are cleared, requiring his removal.
