The New England Patriots will be down one starter against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Nose tackle Khyiris Tonga has been ruled out for the wild card after staying sidelined for a third straight week due to
a foot injury, head coach Mike Vrabel announced during his Friday press conference.
But elsewhere, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, offensive tackle Thayer Munford Jr. and outside linebacker Harold Landry III all close in on the playoffs with questionable game statuses.
Here’s the final injury report ahead of Sunday’s 8 p.m. ET kickoff at Gillette Stadium.
OUT
Patriots
- DT Khyiris Tonga (foot)
Chargers
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring)
- S Kendall Williamson (ankle)
Since sustaining a foot injury in December against the Baltimore Ravens, Tonga has been a non-participant for nine consecutive practices. A third matchup among the No. 2 seed’s inactives is ahead. The all-purpose defensive tackle’s inaugural campaign in Foxborough has brought 24 tackles along with a pair of stops for loss, a pair of quarterback hits and a pair of batted passes. He stands with 337 snaps on defense, 14 snaps on offense and 65 snaps on special teams.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s side has ruled out two and listed six others as questionable, including the reigning No. 22 overall pick from the University of North Carolina.
QUESTIONABLE
Patriots
- WR Kayshon Boutte (hamstring)
- OT Thayer Munford Jr. (knee)
- LB Harold Landry III (knee)
Chargers
- RB Omarion Hampton (ankle)
- TE Tucker Fisk (ankle — IR return)
- OT Austin Deculus (oblique)
- LB Bud Dupree (hamstring)
- LB Del’Shawn Phillips (hamstring)
- S Elijah Molden (hamstring)
The Patriots added Boutte to the injury report midway through the week. The perimeter wideout, listed as a limited participant, previously missed two games in November because of a hamstring injury and finished the campaign with 33 catches for 551 yards and a career-high six touchdowns.
Additional questionable designations reside on the offensive line and off the edges. Munford, who has made two starts in jumbo sets and tallied 100 offensive snaps since rejoining the eventual AFC East champions, sat out Thursday’s practice due to a knee issue. And Landry has continued to practice in a partial capacity due to a knee issue of his own. New England’s sack leader had been ruled out for back-to-back games to end the regular season before ramping up for the playoffs.
Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was not in attendance for Friday’s practice due to personal reasons, will go without a game designation versus the Chargers. The same green light goes for rookie left guard Jared Wilson and veteran inside linebacker Robert Spillane. Concussion protocol and an ankle injury had kept the starters off the field since Week 16 and Week 13, respectively. Returns are on deck.
