On the same day that New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, the 24-year-old Pro Bowl signal-caller appeared on the Patriots injury report.
But Maye was far from alone. In total, the Patriots listed 15 players as injured on the report issued after Wednesday’s practice. The good news for Patriots fans was that Maye was also listed as a full participant in practice, despite what the report called a right shoulder issue.
Both starting cornerbacks, Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III, sat out Wednesday’s practice, leaving the New England secondary in flux before Sunday’s game against Las Vegas.
Fifteen players appear on the Patriots’ first injury report of Week 5, according to the report posted by the Patriots on their official social media channels Wednesday afternoon, and four of them did not practice at all.
New England (2-2) hosts the 3-1 Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. EDT at Gillette Stadium, according to Patriots.com. Game designations arrive Friday.
| NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS INJURY REPORT | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders vs. Patriots • Wednesday Practice Report | ||||||
| POS | Name | Injury | Wed | Thu | Fri | Game |
| CB | Carlton Davis III | Neck | DNP | — | — | — |
| CB | Christian Gonzalez | Shoulder | DNP | — | — | — |
| WR | Mack Hollins | Calf | DNP | — | — | — |
| CB | Karon Prunty | Hamstring | DNP | — | — | — |
| DT | Christian Barmore | Shoulder | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| CB | Channing Canada | Hamstring | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| LB | Christian Elliss | Chest | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| FB | Reggie Gilliam | Ankle / Knee | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| LB | Dre’Mont Jones | Shoulder | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| T | Morgan Moses | Foot | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| RB | Rhamondre Stevenson | Knee | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| CB | Charles Woods | Shoulder | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| S | Craig Woodson | Shoulder | LIMITED | — | — | — |
| QB | Drake Maye | Right Shoulder | FULL | — | — | — |
| S | Brenden Schooler | Back | FULL | — | — | — |
| DNP = did not participate • Thursday, Friday and game-status designations not yet reported | ||||||
Gonzalez, Davis III Lead New England Patriots Injury Report
Gonzalez, the Patriots’ top corner, missed Sunday’s 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills with a shoulder injury and did not return to practice Wednesday, according to Boston.com. Davis sat out the Week 2 Pittsburgh Steelers game with a neck issue, then played all 59 defensive snaps against Buffalo. Wednesday, he did not practice.
That makes Davis the main negative surprise on the report. He finished the Bills game with no visible new injury. The Patriots report lists him with a neck injury.
Gonzalez’s absence was expected. Coach Mike Vrabel said before practice that multiple starters would not participate, Thompson reported. Cornerback Karon Prunty (hamstring) also sat out, though he has played sparingly on defense this season.
The cornerback room is even thinner than those three names suggest. Channing Canada (hamstring) and Charles Woods (shoulder) were limited, putting five corners on the report. New England elevated Kindle Vildor from the practice squad earlier in the week and signed Al’zillion Hamilton to the practice squad.
Defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who missed the Bills game with a shoulder injury, returned in a limited role.
Mack Hollins, Rhamondre Stevenson Updates
“I hope so. That’s the goal,” receiver Mack Hollins said when asked whether he can play Sunday, as quoted by PFT‘s Charean Williams. Hollins left the Bills game with a calf injury after three catches for 53 yards on 31 snaps.
A.J. Brown remains on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain and cannot return until next week. Without Hollins, the receiver options are Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism and Kyle Williams, Charean Williams reported.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson is the positive surprise.
“There’s a chance he can play,” Vrabel said of Stevenson. “There’s just no chance that he’ll practice [Wednesday],” he added, as quoted by Thompson. The official report lists Stevenson as limited with a knee injury.
Beat writers at the start of practice did not see Stevenson, tackle Morgan Moses, fullback Reggie Gilliam or Canada on the field, according to the Boston Herald‘s Doug Kyed. All four are listed as limited.
Safety Brenden Schooler (back) practiced in full. He is among five players eligible to return from injured reserve, the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list, but Vrabel does not expect any activations Sunday.
“I just think that with the uncertainty here, that probably won’t happen. I wouldn’t anticipate that happening,” Vrabel said, as quoted by Boston Globe reporter Christopher Price.
If Gonzalez and Davis both miss Sunday, New England plays without both starting outside corners against the 3-1 Raiders. Charles Woods started in Week 2 with Davis out, and he is now limited with a shoulder injury.
Thursday’s report is the next checkpoint for Hollins, Stevenson and the cornerbacks. Friday’s designations will set the final picture.
Patriots Announce Injury Updates on Drake Maye, 14 Others Before Raiders Game