Amid a handful of injuries, the New England Patriots lost a pair of safeties in Craig Woodson and Dell Pettus during Sunday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Woodson appeared to suffer his shoulder injury with 9:54 remaining in the third quarter as he lowered his left side to tackle Steelers running back Rico Dowdle. A heavy collision left Woodson dangling his left arm.
After playing the next third down snap to end the series, he left the field and visited the blue medical tent before departing to the locker
room. He was ruled out and was then seen wearing a sling in the post game looker room.
Pettus, meanwhile, suffered his ankle injury on a second quarter punt.
As the Patriots now begin their preparation for the Jaguars, head coach Mike Vrabel noted the team will likely need safeties on the practice squad to step up.
“We have guys on the practice squad. I think some of the veteran practice squad guys are going to factor in this week,” Vrabel said. “I know that Mike Brown has been with us since the spring, and I think that’s the balance that you weigh with the practice squad. We’ve talked about that. You have some young guys that you’re looking to develop, some veteran guys that have played in games that are preparing as a starter and that’ll be ready to go.
“So as the week unfolds, we’ll have to make sure that everybody’s ready to go. If guys can’t end up making it, then however we sign guys or elevate guys.”
Brown is one of the Patriots’ most experienced practice squad players, signing with New England this offseason with 38 career games under his belt. That included playing in 9 games at safety for Vrabel’s Titans in 2023.
New England’s developmental team also includes second-year safety Elliott Davison, who originally joined the team following training camp.
With Woodson and Pettus leaving Sunday’s game early, safety Jaylen Reed was thurst into a larger role.
After being acquired in a trade for Kayshon Boutte this August, Reed did not play a defensive snap in the season opener. The 23-year old, who has seen an increased comfort level in the defense, was called upon to play 28 snaps (40%) against the Steelers.
“I think Jaylen has done a nice job. He’s worked hard,” Vrabel said. “He got put in there – again, we have to be ready to go. He had some plays that were good. He’s helped us in the kicking game. He would go in there at PP [punt protector], that’s not an easy thing to do, so I’m glad that he was prepared and ready to go.”
