The New England Patriots have had some very poor injury luck to start the 2026 NFL season.
The team have put a whopping 16 players on injured reserve this season – the same amount as the entirety of their AFC Championship-winning 2025.
For comparison, in 2025 New England placed 16 players on injured reserve the ENTIRE season.
The injury bug is running rampant.
Unfortunately for New England, Week 3 has been little different. Right guard Greg Van Roten has gone of out of the game with a thigh injury whilst defensive tackle Christian Barmore has a shoulder injury – both are questionable to return.
Subsequently, the Patriots suffered even more unfortunate news, as the injury prone Carlton Davis headed to the team’s medical tent after suffering a head/neck injury.
“CB Carlton Davis is shaken up. Looked like his head and neck took some serious contact on a tackle. Davis had recently dealt with a neck injury.” Lauren Walsh reported on Sunday.
The former Super Bowl champion then headed to the medical tent but returned to the sidelines, per Doug Kyed.
Carlton Davis Returns to Patriots Sideline After Injury Scare
“Davis is now out of the blue tent and back on the sideline.” Kyed reported.
Davis came into the game with a neck injury, but practiced on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and avoided an injury designation ahead Week 3’s bout against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although the problem was still lingering enough such that the team felt the need to keep him listed on the injury report.
The training staff appeared to be worried that his in-game injury was an aggravation of his prior issues, but having returned to the sidelines it appears that the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer side-stepped any serious issue.
Carlton Davis’ Scary Head Injury Gets Relieving Development