The New England Patriots are digging deep into their roster ahead of Sunday’s AFC East opener against the unbeaten Buffalo Bills. They just announced the elevations of veteran cornerback Kindle Vildor and safety Mike Brown from the practice squad. This move comes right on the eve of a massive divisional kickoff at Highmark Stadium, and both guys are slated to revert back after the game.
Kindle Vildor Steps Up
Kindle Vildor, 29, is getting another shot on the active roster, and he’s got some history. He picked off one pass during his preseason audition and landed on the initial practice squad after the Pats released him as a vested vet at the 53-man roster deadline. The 5-foot-11, 189-pound corner was originally a fifth-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2020 draft. Talk about a journeyman, right? Before landing in Foxborough on a one-year deal as an unrestricted free agent back in March, he logged stops with the Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He’s seen a lot of action in his career, too. Vildor’s played in 80 games, starting 27 of them, racking up 140 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and two interceptions. He’s been on defense for 2,105 snaps and special teams for 573 snaps. The dude’s got experience, and the Pats are going to need every bit of it against those high-flying Bills.
Mike Brown’s Second Call-Up & Roster Crunch
Safety Mike Brown, 27, isn’t a stranger to getting the call-up either. He was elevated just last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that 35-6 loss at EverBank Stadium, Brown recorded one tackle while playing 12 snaps on defense and 19 snaps on special teams. Not the ideal stat line, but he got his feet wet.
Brown entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He spent time on the practice squads for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns before making it to the 53-man roster in Nashville late in his rookie season. He actually remained a Titan when the 2026 league year kicked off. After not being tendered as a restricted free agent, he signed with the Patriots in March and was then kept on their practice squad after being released in August. Through 36 games and a handful of starts, Brown has totaled 61 tackles and two passes defensed across 515 defensive snaps and 779 special teams snaps.
Under league rules, teams get three standard elevations before they need 53-man contracts. Vildor still has two left after this, while Brown is down to just one. It’s a temporary fix, but it’s what they’ve got right now, and the Patriots currently have an open spot on their active roster.
This depth scramble comes as the 1-2 Patriots are dealing with some serious injury woes. Starters Christian Barmore at defensive tackle and Christian Gonzalez at cornerback have both been officially ruled out after missing three straight practices with shoulder injuries. On top of that, fullback Reggie Gilliam, tight end Eli Raridon, offensive tackle Morgan Moses, linebackers Dre’Mont Jones and Christian Elliss, cornerback Channing Canada, and safety Craig Woodson are all questionable to play. The Patriots are walking wounded into a divisional slugfest against an unbeaten team. It’s going to be a tough one for the guys in Foxborough. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.
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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