Patriots inactives: DeVante Parker, two beginning offensive linemen dominated out towards Eagles

Patriots

The Patriots O-line goes up towards an Eagles go rush that logged 70.0 sacks final yr.

Guard Cole Strange (69) and New England Patriots center David Andrews (60) during the second quarter. The New England Patriots host the Buffalo Bills in a NFL Thursday night game December 1, 2022 at Gillette stadium in Foxborough, MA.
Cole Unusual (left) is not going to play in New England’s season opener towards the Eagles. Barry Chin / The Boston Globe

If Mac Jones and the Patriots are going to stroll out of Week 1 with a victory over the Eagles, they’re going to have to resist a potent Philly go rush with out two of their starters on the offensive line.

The Patriots launched their inactives listing on Sunday only a few hours earlier than kick-off, with each beginning guards Cole Unusual and Mike Onwenu dominated out as a result of damage.

Right here is the Patriots’ full inactives listing:

OG Cole Unusual

OG Mike Onwenu

WR DeVante Parker 

LB Anfernee Jennings

CB Shaun Wade

DL Sam Roberts

The Patriots’ porous offensive line loomed because the group’s prime query mark all preseason. These issues will solely be magnified tonight now that two of the group’s stalwarts on the inside of the O-line are actually dominated out.

The Eagles boast the most effective pass-rushing unit in your complete NFL, main the league final season with 70.0 sacks. The Steelers completed in second place in the identical class … with 15 fewer sacks.

Each Unusual (left guard) and Onwenu (proper guard) have been sidelined for a lot of the preseason, with Onwenu recovering from offseason ankle surgical procedure and Unusual hampered in the course of the group’s first padded follow with a knee damage.

With Unusual and Onwenu each dominated out, count on rookie Atonio Mafi to fit into one of many group’s beginning spots at guard, whereas a rotation of different gamers like Sidy Sow, Jake Andrews, and not too long ago acquired tackles like Vederian Lowe/Tyrone Wheatley Jr. may very well be moved over to the opposite emptiness at guard.

There may be nonetheless no set starter in place for proper deal with, with veteran Calvin Anderson possible tabbed as the subsequent man up in what needs to be a frightening matchup towards Haason Reddick (16.0 sacks in 2022).

Parker additionally stands as a major loss for the Patriots, given his means to reel in “50-50” balls on the skin. The 30-year-old boundary wideout missed a pair of practices two weeks in the past and was restricted on the group’s damage report this week. 

With Parker out of the equation, Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Demario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte characterize New England’s remaining choices at wideout. Rookies like Douglas and Boutte may very well be in line for added reps now that Parker is out. 

If there may be any excellent news to glean from New England’s inactives listing, it’s that Rhamondre Stevenson has been cleared to play. The Patriots’ prime offensive conduit missed Friday’s follow in Foxborough as a result of a abdomen bug, however will have the ability to play on Sunday towards Philly.