New England Patriots special teams legend Matthew Slater is set to miss his first NFL game since 2017.
Right before kick-off for Sunday’s Christmas Eve clash with the Denver Broncos, the Patriots revealed Slater as inactive for the game. It’s a big loss for New England considering the struggles the special teams unit has faced this season.
They’re going to need Brenden Schooler to step things up significantly to make up for the absence of the greatest special teams player in NFL history.
The Patriots will also be missing tight end Hunter Henry, running back Rhamondre Stevenson and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. So they’ll be shorthanded in their attempt to pull off an upset at Mile High.
The good news is offensive tackle Trent Brown is in the lineup, but he’s also been working his way back from injuries, which could impact his snaps in this game. Conor McDermott being out means the team will have to lean on Vederian Lowe and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. to spell Brown when he needs a breather.
Here are the list of inactives for both teams:
Patriots inactives. pic.twitter.com/DvZmPaPckq
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 24, 2023
Broncos inactives. pic.twitter.com/yvZBGQUktD
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 24, 2023
Jabrill Peppers being gone on defense just might be the biggest loss for either team. The Patriots’ defensive back went from being a rotational piece to one of the most important players on the field.
They’ll have their work cut out for them in trying to overcome his absence.
