Dugger is slated to start at safety against the Saints on Sunday due to the absence of Jaylinn Hawkins (hamstring), Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
Dugger played just one defensive snap and seven snaps on special teams during the Patriots' Week 5 win over the Bills. However, the 2020 second-rounder appears to be in line to work with the Patriots' starting defense in the absence of Hawkins. Dugger has 12 tackles (five solo) through five regular-season games this year.
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Patriots' Milton Williams: Good to go Sunday
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Williams (illness) is active for Sunday's matchup versus the Saints.
Williams was a last-minute addition to the Patriots' injury report early Sunday due to an illness. It appears he'll be able to give it a go against New Orleans, though he probably won't be at 100 percent. New England will nonetheless look to Williams, who has 2.5 sacks through five games, to bolster its pass rush.
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Patriots' Christian Gonzalez: Able to suit up Week 6
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Gonzalez (hamstring) is active for Sunday's matchup versus New Orleans.
Gonzalez dealt with a hamstring injury at the end of the week and was deemed questionable on Friday's final injury report. He's ultimately going to play against the Saints, which is a big sigh of relief for the Patriots given Gonzalez's role as one of the league's top cornerbacks. Gonzalez's ability to suit up Sunday is also significant because he missed the first three weeks of the campaign while dealing with a possibly related hamstring issue.
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Patriots' Milton Williams: Under the weather
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Williams is questionable to play against the Saints on Sunday due to an illness.
Williams was cleared to play after working through an ankle injury all week, but he's now dealing with an illness that puts him in jeopardy of missing Sunday's game. Cory Durden and rookie fourth-rounder Joshua Farmer would be in line to see more snaps at defensive end if Williams is not cleared to play.
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Patriots' K'Lavon Chaisson: Ready for Week 6
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Chaisson (knee) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Saints.
The 2020 first-round pick from LSU upgraded from limited practice Thursday to a full session Friday, suggesting he's moved past his knee issue in time to face New Orleans on Sunday. Chaisson has appeared in four games for the Patriots this season, recording nine total tackles, including 2.5 sacks. Now healthy again, he's expected to start opposite Harold Landry to form New England's top edge-rushing duo in Week 6.
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Patriots' Christian Gonzalez: Questionable for Sunday
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Gonzalez (hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Saints, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
The third-year corner from Oregon popped up on the Patriots' injury report Thursday as a limited practice participant due to a hamstring issue. Head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Friday that New England will continue to monitor Gonzalez and likely make a decision on his availability 90 minutes prior to kickoff, making him a true game-time decision, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. Gonzalez has been one of the best cornerbacks in football since entering the league, and he's recorded nine total tackles and one pass defended across just two contests this season. If he's forced to miss the Week 6 matchup, Alex Austin is expected to start opposite Carlton Davis in the Patriots' secondary.
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Patriots' Keion White: Won't play in Week 6
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White (elbow) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Saints, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
The third-year pro from Georgia Tech didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday after sustaining an elbow injury in the Week 5 win over the Bills, so it's no surprise that he'll be out for Sunday's matchup. White has played 107 defensive snaps across four contests this season, recording five total tackles. In his stead, Elijah Ponder is likely to serve as New England's top reserve outside linebacker.
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Patriots' Jaylinn Hawkins: Out for Week 6
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Hawkins (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Saints, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
Hawkins played through his hamstring injury in New England's Week 5 win over the Bills, recording three total tackles, including 0.5 sacks, across 68 defensive snaps. However, the injury likely worsened during the win, as he began the Patriots' week of practice with consecutive DNPs and has since been ruled out for Sunday's contest. While Hawkins is sidelined in Week 6, Kyle Dugger is expected to step in and start at strong safety.
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Patriots' Anfernee Jennings: Won't play Sunday
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Jennings (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Saints, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
The 2020 third-round pick from Alabama downgraded from a limited practice session Wednesday to a DNP on Thursday, so it's no surprise that he'll be sidelined for Week 6. Jennings has played 130 total snaps (65 on defense, 65 on special teams) through four appearances this season, recording seven total tackles. While he's out Sunday, Elijah Ponder could see increased defensive work as a reserve outside linebacker.
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Patriots' Christian Gonzalez: Pops up as limited participant
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Gonzalez (hamstring) was limited in Thursday's practice.
Gonzalez wasn't listed with any injury designation on Wednesday's report, so he appears to have sustained his current hamstring issue during practice. That said, it was a hamstring injury that forced him to miss New England's first three games of the regular season, so it's possible that he's either suffered a setback or is having his reps capped. Gonzalez said after practice Wednesday that Sunday's contest against the Saints "will be a good test," Mark Daniels of MassLive reports.
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Patriots' K'Lavon Chaisson: Limited to open week
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Chaisson (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.
A knee injury prevented Chaisson from playing in the Patriots' Week 5 win over the Bills. The 2020 first-rounder is still limited by the injury, but a full practice Thursday or Friday would put him in position to play against the Saints on Sunday. Chaisson's return would likely mean less snaps at outside linebacker for Keion White (elbow) and Elijah Ponder.
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Patriots' Jaylinn Hawkins: Doesn't practice Wednesday
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Hawkins (hamstring) did not participate in Wednesday's practice.
Hawkins was given the green light to play against the Bills on Sunday after working through a hamstring injury during Week 5 prep, and he finished that contest with three tackles (two solo), including 0.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery while playing every defensive snap. The 2020 fourth-rounder is still working through the injury but would likely be cleared to suit up against the Saints on Sunday if he were to practice in full over the next two days.
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Patriots' Christian Elliss: Tallies six stops
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Elliss logged six tackles (three solo) in New England's win over the Bills on Sunday.
Ellis finished third on the team in tackles behind Robert Spillane and Marcus Jones during the victory. Elliss has now racked up 33 tackles (16 solo) across his first five outings of the season, and he will look to continue his strong start to the season in the team's Week 6 matchup versus Saints.
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Patriots' Marcus Jones: Big box score in SNF win
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Jones recorded seven tackles (five solo) and two pass breakups, including one interception, in the Patriots' win over the Bills on Sunday night.
Jones also handled one punt return but gained zero yards. On defense, Jones played 77 percent of the snaps, and his seven tackles and two pass breakups were new season-highs. His interception of Josh Allen was a red-zone pick in the third quarter. On the season, Jones has racked up 23 tackles (17 solo) and three pass breakups.
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Patriots' Robert Spillane: Eight tackles in SNF win
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Spillane recorded eight tackles (five solo) in Sunday night's win over the Bills.
Spillane logged 100 percent of the defensive snaps and has 39 tackles (24 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and two pass breakups, including one interception, across 94 percent of the snaps through five games to begin the season.
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Patriots' Keion White: Questionable to return
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White (elbow) is questionable to return to Sunday night's contest against the Bills, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
White suffered an apparent elbow injury in the second half of the game, placing some doubt on his ability to return to action. The 26-year-old recorded one tackle before his departure, and in his absence, Elijah Ponder and Anfernee Jennings stand to see an increase in workload at outside linebacker.
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Patriots' Milton Williams: Active for SNF
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Williams (ankle) is active for Sunday Night Football against the Bills.
The defensive tackle surfaced on the injury report Wednesday, when he was limited in practice, and then missed Thursday's session and returned for a limited practice Friday. Though he was initially trending in the wrong direction, Williams' injury does not appear to be serious enough to keep him out of Sunday's contest. The free-agent signing has played on at least 58 percent of the defensive snaps in each of New England's first four games, recording nine tackles (seven solo), including 2.0 sacks.
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Patriots' Jahlani Tavai: Cleared to make 2025 debut
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Tavai (calf) is active for Sunday's game against the Bills.
Tavai was activated from injured reserve Saturday, and the 2019 second-rounder has been cleared to make his 2025 debut in Sunday's AFC East tilt. Tavai tallied 100-plus tackles in each of the last two seasons but will likely work in a rotational role at inside linebacker with Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss.
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Patriots' K'Lavon Chaisson: Won't play in Week 5
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Chaisson (knee) has been downgraded and ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Bills.
Chaisson was initially listed as questionable due to a knee injury likely sustained in the Patriots' Week 4 win over the Panthers. Despite upgrading to limited practice sessions Thursday and Friday, the 2020 first-round pick won't be able to suit up Sunday. In his absence, Elijah Ponder is likely to start opposite Harold Landry for New England's defense.
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Patriots' Jaylinn Hawkins: Good to go against Buffalo
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Hawkins (hamstring) was a full participant in Friday's practice and does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Bills.
Hawkins steadily increased his practice participation last week while working through a hamstring injury, and the 2020 fourth-rounder has been cleared to play in Sunday's AFC East clash. Hawkins has 20 tackles (16 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and one interception through the first four games of the regular season.
