The New England Patriots defense will be without cornerback Christian Gonzalez and defensive tackle Christian Barmore on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, but it will have two other key members available
. Edge defender Dre’Mont Jones and safety Craig Woodson will make their comebacks after missing last week’s loss in Jacksonville due to shoulder injuries (coincidentally the same issue holding out Gonzalez and Barmore).While neither are the same caliber of impact player as Barmore and especially
Gonzalez, they are valuable pieces of the operation. Jones allows for more of a rotation on the edge together with Elijah Ponder and Gabe Jacas, while also providing the best edge-setting skills versus the run — a crucial element given Buffalo’s ranking as the top rushing offense in the NFL in EPA per play.
Woodson, on the other hand, is a solid player in the middle of the field and at the third level. While his replacement last Sunday, Jaylen Reed, did his best, he nonetheless was a downgrade compared to the usual starter.
The Patriots’ full game day roster looks as follows.
Patriots game day roster: Week 4 vs. Bills
Quarterback (2): Drake Maye (10), Tommy DeVito (16)
Running back (3): Rhamondre Stevenson (38), TreVeyon Henderson (32), Corey Kiner (9)
Fullback (1): Reggie Gilliam (44)
Wide receiver (5): Romeo Doubs (87), DeMario Douglas (3), Mack Hollins (13), Kyle Williams (18 | KR), Efton Chism III (86)
Tight end (3): Hunter Henry (85), Eli Raridon (82), Cameron Latu (36)
Offensive tackle (3): Will Campbell (66 | LT), Morgan Moses (76 | RT), Caleb Lomu (74)
Interior offensive line (5): Alijah Vera-Tucker (75 | LG), Jared Wilson (55 | C), Ben Brown (77 | RG), Walter Rouse (72), Matt Pryor (65)
Interior defensive line (5): Milton Williams (97), Cory Durden (94), Joshua Farmer (92), DaQuan Jones (99), Leonard Taylor III (93)
Defensive edge (4): Dre’Mont Jones (5), Elijah Ponder (91), Gabe Jacas (50), Jose Ramirez (43)
Linebacker (5): Robert Spillane (14), Christian Elliss (53), Namdi Obiazor (48), Darius Muasau (54), Erick Hunter (49)
Cornerback (5): Carlton Davis III (7), Marcus Jones (25 | PR), Charles Woods (22), Karon Prunty (21), Kindle Vildor (28 | practice squad elevation)
Safety (3): Kevin Byard (31), Craig Woodson (4), Jaylen Reed (23), Mike Brown (33 | practice squad elevation)
Specialists (3): Andy Borregales (8 | K), Mitch Wishnowsky (19 | P/H), Julian Ashby (47 | LS)
New England also will have another player available on Sunday who did not play against the Jaguars: third-round rookie tight end Eli Raridon, the only Patriot with a touchdown reception to his name so far this season. His presence on the team bumped fellow rookie Tanner Arkin from the game day roster onto the inactives list again.
As for the aforementioned Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore, their absences put pressure on the depth at cornerback and defensive tackle. The former will be replaced by a mix of Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones and regular CB4 Charles Woods, while the latter’s absence prompted the team to bring Leonard Taylor back onto the game day roster after being a healthy scratch a week ago.
Patriots reserves
Inactives (6): QB3 Behren Morton (15), TE Tanner Arkin (84), OT Dametrious Crownover (68), DT Christian Barmore (90), CB Christian Gonzalez (0), CB Channing Canada (29)
Practice squad (15): RB Lan Larison (34), WR Kyle Dixon (83), WR Cameron Dorner (88), WR Chandler Brayboy (81), TE Tanner Conner (80), OT Lorenz Metz (61 | exempt), OL Jake Kubas (63), OL Xavier Newman-Johnson (64), OL Da’Metrius Weatherspoon (62), DT Eric Gregory (95), DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (98), ED Xavier Holmes (58), ED Benton Whitley (42), LB K.J. Britt (35), S Elliott Davison (27)
Injured reserve (11): RB Myles Montgomery (39 | season-ending), WR A.J. Brown (1), WR Jeremiah Webb (29 | season-ending), TE Julian Hill (80 | season-ending), OT Marcus Bryant (52), G Mike Onwenu (71), G Greg Van Roten (70), ED Quintayvious Hutchins (45), LB Khalil Jacobs (59), S Dell Pettus (24), P Bryce Baringer (17)
NFI/reserve (1): S Brenden Schooler (41 | designated for return)
PUP/reserve (1): ED Harold Landry (2)
The Patriots’ reserve lists saw some change since last week that goes beyond the inactives. The team also added another interior offensive lineman, Da’Metrius Weatherspoon, via the practice squad. Weatherspoon has not been elevated to the game-day team, and unlike recent pickup Matt Pryor will watch the game from the sidelines.
The Patriots’ Week 4 game at Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium will be kicked off at 1 p.m. ET.
