The first injury report ahead of the wild card at Gillette Stadium.
The New England Patriots had Jared Wilson back on hand to begin the postseason.
The rookie left guard, who missed consecutive starts while in the NFL’s concussion protocol, wore a red non-contact jersey during Wednesday’s work on the Los Angeles Chargers. Sack leader Harold Landry III and tackle leader Robert Spillane were also present after both defensive captains finished the final weeks of the regular season among the inactives.
Seven in all were limited in Foxborough, while a handful stayed sidelined.
Here’s the first injury report ahead of Sunday’s 8 p.m. ET wild card at Gillette Stadium.
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
Patriots
- OT Morgan Moses (illness)
- OT Vederian Lowe (illness)
- C Garrett Bradbury (illness)
- DT Khyiris Tonga (foot)
- LB Anfernee Jennings (illness)
Chargers
- RB Omarion Hampton (ankle)
- WR Keenan Allen (not injury related — rest)
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring)
- OT Austin Deculus (oblique)
- LB Khalil Mack (not injury related — rest)
- LB Bud Dupree (hamstring)
- LB Del’Shawn Phillips (hamstring)
- S Kendall Williamson (ankle)
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said during his Wednesday press conference that a sickness going around the locker room would keep four veterans away from practice. But in addition to Moses, Lowe, Bradbury and Jennings, the non-participants for the AFC’s No. 2 seed went on to still include Tonga. The offseason award winner and all-purpose nose tackle hasn’t practiced since being ruled out with a foot injury on Dec. 21.
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
Patriots
- TE Hunter Henry (not injury related — rest)
- OT Thayer Munford Jr. (knee)
- G Jared Wilson (concussion protocol)
- LB Harold Landry III (knee)
- LB Robert Spillane (ankle)
- LB Jack Gibbens (elbow)
- CB Alex Austin (wrist — IR return)
Chargers
- G Jamaree Salyer (hamstring)
- CB Donte Jackson (ankle)
- S Elijah Molden (hamstring)
Rest was due for Henry on Wednesday. The captain at tight end started every game in the regular season on the way to catching 60 passes for a career-high 768 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. But New England’s partial participants would also include several ramp-ups. Wilson has handled 71.7 percent of the offensive snaps since arriving on the interior line at pick No. 95 overall last spring. And despite missing back-to-back games with a knee injury to end the slate, Landry managed to finish atop the Patriots with 8.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hits. The outside linebacker also tied for the team lead with 10 tackles for loss. As for Spillane, who made his return to practice as a limited participant last Friday, the inside linebacker hasn’t played a down since sustaining an ankle injury on Dec. 1.
FULL PARTICIPATION
Patriots
- No players listed
Chargers
- QB Justin Herbert (left hand)
- TE Tucker Fisk (ankle — IR return)
No Patriots dealing with ailments opened the week of the wild card in full. But the Chargers had a pair go in that capacity, including Herbert, who is just over a month removed from undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback did not appear last weekend’s finale as the AFC’s No. 7 seed locked in.
Category: General Sports
