The New England Patriots are practicing without an offensive captain this week, and that is a major problem. Tight end Hunter Henry, fresh off sustaining a foot injury last weekend, was among four non-participants in Foxborough as they prepped for the Green Bay Packers. This is a brutal hit to their offensive unit right as the regular season grind is in full swing.
When Key Players Go Down: The “Did Not Participate” List
Henry’s foot injury happened before halftime last weekend against the Miami Dolphins. He went to the locker room, tried to test things out, but was ultimately downgraded to out in the final quarter. He only saw eight offensive snaps in that game, managing three catches for 30 yards. This is no small thing, people! Losing an offensive captain and a tenured tight end means rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin, plus August waiver claim Cameron Latu, are suddenly high on the depth chart. Talk about an immediate test.
But it does not stop there. Running back TreVeyon Henderson was also sidelined with an illness, and honestly, this has been an issue. Henderson was ruled out of the AFC East meeting at Hard Rock Stadium last week after missing three straight practices. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore missed Wednesday due to illness as well, though he did start last week and split a sack. Then you have wide receiver A.J. Brown, who missed back-to-back sessions leading up to the road trip with a knee issue, *on top of* the high ankle sprain that put him on injured reserve back in September. The three-time All-Pro was downgraded from questionable on the eve of the divisional kickoff, leaving DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III, and standard elevation Ryan Miller to carry the load. That is a lot of firepower missing. The Packers are not without their own issues, with tight end Josh Whyle (concussion), tackle Travis Glover (knee), center Sean Rhyan (ankle), and linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin) all sitting out.
Who Is Back? The “Limited Participation” Crew
There is some *slight* silver lining, if you want to call it that. Wide receiver Mack Hollins and guard Greg Van Roten both returned to practice as limited participants after their 21-day return windows opened. Hollins was on injured reserve since early October with a calf injury, and Van Roten went to IR in late September with a hamstring injury. It is good to see the 33-year-old wide receiver and the 36-year-old interior lineman back on the field, even if it is in a limited capacity.
They were not alone in the limited group. Five other active roster Patriots also participated partially: tackle Morgan Moses (foot), linebacker Dre’Mont Jones (shoulder, knee), linebacker Gabe Jacas (knee), cornerback Carlton Davis III (neck), and safety Kevin Byard III (chest). The Packers also had a few limited guys, including running back Chris Brooks (IR return for ankle), wide receiver Christian Watson (rib), guard Aaron Banks (knee), linebacker Micah Parsons (PUP return for knee), and cornerback Keisean Nixon (shoulder).
This injury report drops ahead of Sunday’s 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff at Gillette Stadium. This team needs its key players healthy, and right now, the offensive side of the ball looks like a MASH unit. You have to wonder how much these absences will impact their ability to put up points against the Packers. It is going to be a tough battle, that is for sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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