The New England Patriots traveled to Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX with 9 gamers listed on their harm report. Among them are two who presently will not be half of the energetic roster: operating again Terrell Jennings and defensive sort out Joshua Farmer, who each stay on injured reserve as of Monday morning.
With the ultimate recreation of the season nearing, the Patriots have a choice to make. Either they reactivate them to the 53-man roster or they won’t be obtainable in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
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The timeline, nonetheless, appears totally different for each gamers.
Jennings’ clock is ticking the loudest to this point. The second-year operating again, who was positioned on injured reserve following the Patriots’ Week 14 bye, returned to practice on Jan. 14. This opened a 21-day activation window that’s set to shut on Wednesday: if he isn’t moved to the 53-man roster at that time, his yr is over.
From New England’s perspective, there are arguments in each instructions. On the one hand, they could view Jennings as an improve over frequent apply squad elevatee D’Ernest Johnson within the third operating again function behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. However, activating him wouldn’t assure him a distinguished or any function on the sport day roster come Sunday whereas additionally forcing a follow-up transaction.
Of course, his harm standing is price maintaining a tally of. Jennings did clear concussion protocol however he’s presently additionally nursing a hamstring harm, and missed final Friday’s apply consequently.
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Farmer, for comparability, was a full participant in each of final week’s practices.
A fourth-round draft choose by the Patriots in April, he was positioned on IR after sustaining a hamstring harm in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens in December. Like Jennings, he returned to practice at the first opportunity; in his case, that chance got here on Jan. 21, which subsequently implies that his return window will keep open a couple of days longer and till the Super Bowl.
The arguments for or in opposition to activation are related to Jennings’. Ultimately, the questions are whether or not or not having Farmer on the roster is preferable to depth elsewhere on the group, and if Leonard Taylor can be an appropriate fifth possibility behind Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Khyiris Tonga and Cory Durden for the Super Bowl.
The Patriots will apply 4 occasions this week, with the primary session going down on Monday.