New England is missing 4 starters in practice before the Ravens game

The New England Patriots Week 16 injury report is starting to catch up with them ahead of Sunday Night Football’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Patriots’ Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills clearly took a toll on them, with more beginners still don’t practice. Linebackers Robert Spillane and Harold Landry III, as well as cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones, missed Thursday’s practice.

Linebacker Christian Ellis missed practice on Wednesday but returned for a limited session on Thursday, according to the team’s official injury report. Christian Barmore has logged a full training session as he looks set to play in his second straight game.

Spillane, Landry, Davis and Jones would be monumental absences for an otherwise elite Patriots defense. Spillane currently leads the team with 97 tackles through 13 games. Ellis is second on the team with 76 tackles, while Landry leads them with 8.5 sacks.

As the Patriots’ starting quarterback, Davis would also be a significant loss. However, Jones leads the team with 11 pass breakups from the slot while proving to be one of the best return specialists in the league.

Spieline, Ellis and Landry all filling out the injury report is a troubling development for the Patriots as they prepare for run-heavy Ravens offense. Baltimore runs the ball at the third-highest rate in the league and is most effective when it takes Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to the ground.

The Patriots defense will potentially be diminished in Week 16

Spillane’s absence would open up a bigger role for Jack Gibbons or Jahlani Tavai. Tavai led New England with 115 tackles in 2024 while Gibbens played for head coach Mike Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans.

Landry’s absence would pave the way for new starter Elijah Ponder to make his first start of the year. Ponder, an undrafted rookie out of Cal Poly, has three shifts since Week 10.

The Patriots would be in a much tougher situation if either Davis or Jones are out in Week 16. New England is already thin defensively with Marcelos Diallo Jr. and Alex Austin on injured reserve, leaving only a pair of undrafted reserves — Charles Woods and Miles Bittle — available at cornerback.