FOXBORO, Mass. — Two days after clinching a playoff berth with a thrilling win Sunday night in Baltimore, coach Mike Vrabel gathered his New England Patriots for an earlier-than-usual session on Tuesday. Before he and his staff took to game-planning for next week, Vrabel wanted to highlight something for the whole team to see.
Vrabel showed the squad a few plays from the end of their win over the Ravens, when Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams were bouncing between three wide receiver positions because of injuries to other players. At one point, Vrabel said, most of the players didn’t realize they had a new right tackle (Thayer Munford), which meant a new jumbo tight end (Ben Brown), which jumbled personnel groupings and formations and caused Williams to change his alignment in the middle of one play.
“So, that’s how quickly things happen,” Vrabel said. “Give all the credit to the players — and the assistant coaches for having them ready and being able to help us win.”
His point held in the bigger picture, too. As the Patriots enter Week 17 with a banged-up roster — nine players suffered injuries Sunday night — there are probably going to be guys who are asked to do a little bit more. Maybe play out of position. Maybe just play more than usual.
Whatever the case, New England has a bunch of injuries heading into a two-game stretch where it’s looking to seal a division title. “Unfinished business” is how Vrabel described the mindset, even after clinching a spot in the postseason.
WE ALL WE GOT https://t.co/bru71GIXE7 pic.twitter.com/gdRgrdUSaW
— x – New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 22, 2025
Fortunately for the Patriots, they’re headed to New York this weekend for the NFL’s favorite get-right game, a Sunday matchup against the Jets. Even with the injuries that have piled up, the Pats should be able to take care of business against a team with Brady Cook at quarterback that got blown out by the New Orleans Saints last weekend. New England is a 13.5-point road favorite, per Bet MGM, even despite the injuries.
Still, with the playoffs on the not-too-distant horizon, the lengthy injury report is worth noting.
There’s a chance the Patriots head into Sunday’s game with only four healthy wide receivers, without three of their usual starting offensive linemen, with only one running back who has played meaningful snaps this season and without two regular cornerbacks.
The bad news? The Pats began the week with three players in the concussion protocol: running back TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and left guard Jared Wilson. Additionally, run-stuffing defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga suffered a foot injury Sunday that is expected to keep him out of the Jets game, NFL Network reported. Receiver DeMario Douglas suffered a hamstring injury that could keep him out Sunday, as did defensive lineman Joshua Farmer. Right tackle Morgan Moses suffered a knee injury, but he played through it in the second half when Munford, his backup, suffered a knee injury of his own. They could both be limited this weekend. And cornerback Carlton Davis left the game with an apparent injury, though his status for Sunday is unclear.
The good news? Reinforcements are on the way. The Patriots are planning to open defensive tackle Milton Williams’ practice window so that he can participate on Wednesday. The team’s highest-paid player is then eligible to be activated off injured reserve at any point over the ensuing 21 days, and playing Sunday against the Jets is a possibility. Plus, while less is known about Will Campbell’s status, the rookie left tackle has earned rave reviews from teammates for the way he has stayed engaged through a knee injury. He’s eligible to open his 21-day practice window next week, meaning he could return for Week 18.
Still, it sets up the Patriots for a tough decision. Should they use players who may not be 100 percent healthy in these final two regular-season games to increase their chances of winning the division and chasing the No. 1 seed? Or should they rest them for the postseason, even if it hurts their chances of earning a home game in the playoffs?
“I think that we’ll figure out where things are later in the week,” Vrabel said of the slew of injuries. “Everybody’s been getting treatment. We got back late (from Baltimore). So today will be a good opportunity just to see a little bit of activity, a walk-through. But (we want to) get guys up, moving around. …
“I tell everybody the same thing,” Vrabel continued. “Just be honest with how you’re feeling. Talk to the doctors. Talk to the trainer. We do an evaluation every day. We do a symptom score. So, I think those are the ones that you want to just try to focus on. The guys that have an ankle or … a knee, they’re going to be OK. Sometimes, any of these things that relate to concussions can react differently, and there’s no pre-described amount of time that they’re going to be out.”
Wednesday will be the team’s first full practice of the week. They’ll likely know more about who can play on Thursday morning after it’s clear how the injuries respond to practice.
But one thing is clear: The Patriots have a lengthy injury list heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.