The New England Patriots announced that they have ruled out starting cornerback Carlton Davis III for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a neck injury.
It's a key injury that will force the team to adjust its secondary plans for the pivotal matchup.
Davis did not practice all week due to the neck injury. He recorded three total tackles in the Patriots’ 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. The veteran defensive back helped the Patriots advance to the Super Bowl last season. However, the Patriots will have to do without his championship experience in Week 2.
Charles Woods is positioned to absorb a larger share of the outside cornerback workload. Marcus Jones is also capable of taking snaps on the outside when not lined
up as the primary slot corner, giving New England flexibility against different offensive schemes that the Steelers employ. Jones’ ability to work inside and outside will work to New England’s advantage in helping to pick up the slack that Davis leaves behind.
Kindle Vildor is an available practice-squad option if New England seeks another active defensive back. An elevation will add depth for special teams and provide another outside corner for New England to use.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Key defensive starter ruled out for Patriots ahead of Week 2 matchup
