Eli Raridon, the rookie tight end who got his first NFL start and scored a touchdown against our beloved Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field just a couple weeks back on September 9, 2026? Yeah, well, he is officially sidelined for the New England Patriots. After starting Jacksonville Jaguars prep as a limited participant, Raridon sat out Thursday’s practice due to a thigh injury. This same injury prevented him from finishing last weekend’s 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he managed just one reception for 30 yards across 11 offensive snaps. The Patriots picked him #95 overall in the 2026 NFL draft, and he is already battling the injury bug.
The Defensive Depth Chart Is Looking Rough
Raridon isn’t the only one out for the Patriots. Their defensive side of the ball is looking particularly banged up. Outside linebackers Dre’Mont Jones, who is nursing a shoulder injury, and Quintayvious Hutchins, dealing with a knee issue, remained missing from practice in Foxborough. Both veterans departed from the edge depth chart last Sunday at Gillette Stadium. On top of that, safety Craig Woodson, a sophomore starter, went from questionable to out with an additional shoulder issue. Woodson played a solid 46 out of 70 defensive snaps last game, and their safety position has already lost Dell Pettus to injured reserve. Losing these guys is a brutal blow to their defense, especially this early in the season.
Any Good News? Some Players Are On The Mend
It is not all bad news on the injury front for New England. Fullback Reggie Gilliam (knee) and offensive tackle Morgan Moses (foot) are still limited participants, but some other players are showing progress. Safety Brenden Schooler, the 2025 special teams captain, is back to limited participation as his 21-day activation window has opened. He missed all of training camp while on the non-football injury list and is eligible to return to the roster in October after the initial four regular season games pass. And for some actual good news, cornerback Carlton Davis III is back to full participation after missing the last weekend’s game and three straight practices due to a neck injury. He had company in that tier: rookie offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover (knee) climbed from limited, and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (not injury related , personal) was back in full after being absent Wednesday.
The Patriots are rolling into EverBank Stadium this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET to take on the Jaguars. After that 20-3 win over the Steelers, you gotta wonder if these early injuries are going to catch up to them, especially with Raridon, Jones, and Hutchins all out. It is early in the season, but these dings can derail things fast. Keep an eye on how they manage against Jacksonville.
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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