When the New England Patriots take the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, it will be a first for three-year veteran Caleb Murphy. The outside linebacker and special teamer is set to make
his debut for the team after avoiding the inactives list for the Week 10 contest.
Murphy joined the Patriots in late October as a waiver claim from the Los Angeles Chargers. He had been made a healthy scratch for his first two games as a Patriot.
An undrafted free agent out of Ferris State, where he set a new NCAA single-season record with 25.5 sacks as a senior, Murphy began his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans under now-Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. He played just 44 snaps in three games under Vrabel, and left the organization the subsequent season under new head coach Brian Callahan. He moved to L.A., where he became a “core four” special teamer in 2025 and was on the field for 76 percent of the Chargers’ kicking game snaps in his six games before being let go.
What his role will be on Sunday remains to be seen. Nonetheless, the 25-year-old is finally in a position to show why the Patriots opted to pick him up.
Their full game day roster for Sunday’s game in Tampa, meanwhile, looks as follows:
Patriots game day roster: Week 10 at Buccaneers
Quarterback (2): Drake Maye (10), Joshua Dobbs (11)
Running back (4): TreVeyon Henderson (32), Terrell Jennings (26 | KR), Jack Westover (37 | FB/TE), D’Ernest Johnson (34 | PS elevation)
Wide receiver (5): Stefon Diggs (8), Mack Hollins (13), DeMario Douglas (3), Kyle Williams (18), Efton Chism III (86 | KR)
Tight end (2): Hunter Henry (85), Austin Hooper (81)
Offensive tackle (4): Will Campbell (66 | LT), Morgan Moses (76 | RT), Vederian Lowe (59), Marcus Bryant (52)
Interior offensive line (4): Jared Wilson (58 | LG), Garrett Bradbury (65 | C), Mike Onwenu (71 | RG), Ben Brown (77)
Interior defensive line (5): Christian Barmore (90), Milton Williams (97), Khyiris Tonga (95), Joshua Farmer (92), Cory Durden (94)
Defensive edge (5): Harold Landry III (2), K’Lavon Chaisson (44), Anfernee Jennings (33), Elijah Ponder (91), Caleb Murphy (45)
Linebacker (5): Robert Spillane (14), Jahlani Tavai (48), Jack Gibbens (51), Marte Mapu (15), Darius Harris (42 | PS elevation)
Cornerback (5): Christian Gonzalez (0), Carlton Davis III (7), Marcus Jones (25 | PR), Charles Woods (22), Alex Austin (28)
Safety (4): Jaylinn Hawkins (21), Craig Woodson (31), Dell Pettus (24), Brenden Schooler (41)
Specialists (3): Andy Borregales (36 | K), Bryce Baringer (17 | P/H), Julian Ashby (47 | LS)
The Patriots will be down three starters on Sunday, including running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Last week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons already gave us a blueprint on how the team will opt to replace him: a heavy dose of TreVeyon Henderson with some Terrell Jennings sprinkled in as well. Additionally, practice squad call-up D’Ernest Johnson provides extra depth.
Wide receiver, for comparison, will be a bigger question mark. Kayshon Boutte, who led the position group in snaps over the first nine weeks of the season, is out with a hamstring issue. Versus the Falcons, this meant increased snaps for third-round rookie Kyle Williams — a realistic candidate to again see an uptick in playing time alongside the remaining two starters, Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins. Of course, New England could also opt to increase DeMario Douglas’ role after not opting to do so when Boutte was originally lost last week.
The third starter inactive for Sunday is linebacker Christian Elliss, the team’s No. 2 at the position behind Robert Spillane. The expectation is that Jahlani Tavai and Jack Gibbens will handle the bulk of his snaps, with Marte Mapu also factoring into the mix.
Patriots reserves
Inactives (7): QB3 Tommy DeVito (16), RB Rhamondre Stevenson (38), WR Kayshon Boutte (9), OL Caedan Wallace (70), DT Eric Gregory (55), LB Christian Elliss (53), S John Saunders Jr. (23)
Practice squad (14): RB Rushawn Baker (49), WR John Jiles (83), WR Brenden Rice (84), WR Jeremiah Webb (29), TE C.J. Dippre (82), OL Sebastian Gutierrez (72), OL Andrew Rupcich (67), OL Brenden Jaimes (61), DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (98), DT Leonard Taylor III (93), ED Bradyn Swinson (43), CB Miles Battle (35), CB Kobee Minor (19), S Richie Grant (39)
Practice squad/exempt (1): TE Thomas Odukoya (88 | IPPP)
Practice squad/injured (1): RB Jashaun Corbin
Reserve/injured (8): FB Brock Lampe, OT Yasir Durant, CB Marcellas Dial Jr., DT Jaquelin Roy, RB Lan Larison, RB Deneric Prince, DT Isaiah Iton, RB Antonio Gibson
Reserve/retired (1): OL Wes Schweitzer
New England did not pull any surprises out of its hat when it comes to the inactives list: outside of the three starters mentioned above, all the inactives are familiar faces. There also have been no changes to the practice squad this week.
The Patriots’ game against the Buccaneers will kick off at 1 p.m. ET at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.
