The New England Patriots are heading into Sunday’s road matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars with one of the more significant injury lists in the early portion of the 2026 season, as the accumulation of damage from back-to-back weeks is beginning to take a toll. Jacksonville, by contrast, returns home as they have been all season.
Here is a full breakdown of everything you need to know from Friday’s injury report heading into Sunday.
New England Patriots Injuries
WR AJ Brown – Injured Reserve (Ankle)
The Patriots’ most significant
offseason acquisition is already on the shelf, as Brown suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks and was placed on Injured Reserve shortly after. That development was made considerably worse by the timing of the Kayshon Boutte trade. New England sent Boutte to the Houston Texans just six days before the roster cutdown deadline in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Brown’s injury immediately exposed that transaction as a risk. Brown and Boutte’s absence places the receiving burden squarely on Romeo Doubs, who signed a four-year, $68 million deal with New England this offseason. In addition to Doubs, the Patriots’ primary receiving room options are veteran receiver Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas.
RG Mike Onwenu – Injured Reserve (Ankle)
Onwenu was placed on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, September 22nd, after suffering a reported broken right ankle against the Steelers. Greg Van Roten stepped in immediately after Onwenu went down but struggled in that assignment against Pittsburgh. The veteran lineman was signed by New England roughly a month ago as additional depth. Considering what Arik Armstead has shown himself to be capable of against starting caliber guards, this should provide a potential opening for a big day against a guard making his first meaningful NFL start in years.
OLB Dre’Mont Jones – (Shoulder) – Out
One of New England’s most significant defensive additions this offseason, Jones brought seven sacks to Foxborough and was expected to be the centerpiece of a retooled pass rush. However, Jones left the Steelers game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury, sustained after a strip-sack. With the veteran backer now ruled out Sunday, his absence creates a significant gap in New England’s edge rush depth.
OLB Quintayvious Hutchins – (Knee) – Out
Jones’s primary backup at linebacker also did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday, before being ruled out with a knee injury. Both a starting and backup pass rusher being simultaneously unavailable could be a significant compounding problem for the Patriots defense that held Pittsburgh to three points in Week 2, but will now face a considerably more dynamic opponent.
TE Eli Raridon – (Thigh)- Questionable
The Patriots’ rookie tight end, a third-round pick who scored the team’s only touchdown in the Week 1 loss to Seattle and caught a 30-yard pass before exiting in Week 2 against the Steelers, is now a legitimate game-time question after being a surprise did not participate (DNP) on Thursday or Friday following limited work Wednesday. This injury has the potential to drastically alter New England’s offensive game plan, as the Patriots ran two or more tight end formations on approximately 29% of their 2025 offensive snaps, and have increased that usage to 34% in 2026.
S Craig Woodson – (Shoulder)- Questionable
Woodson did not finish the Steelers game, exiting with a shoulder injury and he has not practiced since. The Boston Globe reported he was spotted wearing an arm sling in the locker room after the Week 2 victory. However, he has since shed the sling, and practiced as a limited participant Friday. His potential absence would likely force recent trade acquisition Jaylen Reed into meaningful action. Jacksonville fans will likely recognize that name, as Reed was the safety New England received in the Boutte trade with Houston and was a backup for the AFC South Texans.
Jacksonville Jaguars Injuries
Jacksonville returns to Everbank Stadium in reasonably strong health, with the primary injury considerations this week being OL Patrick Mekari and DE B.J. Green II, both on Injured Reserve for the next few weeks. Only one additional player is expected to be unavailable heading into the weekend, rookie defensive lineman Albert Regis. Regis was added to the injury report with an elbow injury on Friday and is listed as doubtful to play Sunday. On the positive side, major news following Davon Hamilton’s late exit from Sunday’s matchup, as the veteran defensive lineman looks to be good to play after a fourth quarter back injury. And while the official Friday injury report did reflect Hamilton and running back LeQuint Allen with limited Friday sessions, neither has a game day injury designation.
The Bigger Picture
Over the first two weeks in New England, a compounding injury problem has developed across three distinct phases of their roster: wide receiver, offensive line, and pass rush that Jacksonville is now positioned to exploit. The loss of Onwenu and the insertion of Van Roten at right guard create a matchup that directly benefits Arik Armstead Sunday. Jones and Hutchins both being unavailable remove New England’s most impactful edge rusher and a backup from the equation simultaneously, potentially allowing Trevor Lawrence significantly more time in the pocket than he had in either of his first two games.
Similarly, the loss of AJ Brown and his backup Boutte provides an opening for this Jacksonville secondary to potentially have one of its better games of 2026. However, nothing is ever guaranteed. As the 2025 Seahawks matchup showed us, even with two defensive backs and a linebacker out, an NFL defense, in the right matchup, can still perform in a dominant fashion. The Jaguars will still need to show up and play their game for a win on Sunday, no matter who lines up.
