The New England Patriots have ruled out five players for their Thursday night matchup against the Chicago Bears, following injuries sustained in last Sunday’s victory over the New York Jets. Starting left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker was sidelined with a hamstring injury and, along with interior offensive lineman Ben Brown, who is dealing with a knee issue, did not participate in practice this week. Walter Rouse and Matt Pryor are expected to fill the starting guard positions in their absence.
Defensively, the Patriots will be without cornerbacks Carlton Davis, Karon Prunty, and Channing Canada, all listed as out due to neck and hamstring injuries. Davis will miss his third consecutive game and fourth of the season overall. Charles Woods, who recorded his first career interception last Sunday, is slated to start alongside Christian Gonzalez in the secondary.
Several other Patriots players were designated as questionable ahead of the game, including safeties Kevin Byard (chest) and Craig Woodson (shoulder), linebacker Christian Elliss (chest), and right tackle Morgan Moses (foot). Moses, who left the previous game in the second quarter, took part in limited practice, offering optimism that he may be available to play against Chicago.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown, returning from injured reserve last Sunday, was a healthy participant without an official game-day status for the upcoming contest. Despite dropping several passes in his return, Brown reported no lingering issues from his ankle injury.
The Patriots may adjust their roster further ahead of Thursday’s game, potentially activating seventh-round draft pick Marcus Bryant from injured reserve to serve as a swing tackle. The team could also promote up to two players from the practice squad, with several interior linemen—Jake Kubas, Xavier Newman-Johnson, Jacob Rizy, and Andrew Rupcich—under consideration.
On the Bears’ side, running back Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) and linebacker Jack Sanborn (concussion) are confirmed out, while linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring) is doubtful and defensive back Tyrique Stevenson (hip) is questionable. Monangai will miss his third consecutive game, which is notable as he and D’Andre Swift have been key contributors to Chicago’s rushing attack. Edwards, who played every defensive snap prior to Week 5, did not dress for last Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
In a lighter moment during the week, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel shared an anecdote about Woods requesting a grape-flavored Jolly Rancher during a game. Vrabel obliged at halftime, likening the interaction to coaching a youth football team, and joked about it when awarding Woods a game ball. The exchange earned Woods the nickname “JR” among teammates.
Additionally, the Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye has been named one of four team representatives to the NFL Players’ Association, alongside left tackle Will Campbell, cornerback Marcus Jones, and special teams player Brenden Schooler. Maye, serving as the voting representative, described the role as an honor and emphasized his intent to understand league operations and advocate for the interests of both players and coaches.