Patriots CB Jalen Mills not ruled out yet for Wild Card playoff game at Bills

Will the Patriots be missing one of their starting cornerbacks for Saturday’s playoff game against the Bills? Bill Belichick, as usual, didn’t tip his hand.

Jalen Mills, who was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list on Tuesday, expectedly did not practice with the team but there’s still a chance he could suit up on Saturday. Belichick didn’t rule it out.

“We’ll see how it goes and we’ll follow the protocols,” Belichick said. “He’s not here today, so obviously, we won’t practice him, but we’ll see how it goes.”

If Mills is vaccinated, he could test out of the league’s protocols as long as he’s asymptomatic for at least 24 hours and passes one of the league’s three testing options. If he’s unvaccinated, there’s still a chance he could play, too, despite a mandated five-day isolation period. He would need to have tested positive on Monday so that the five days hit by Saturday’s game, and would also need to show improved symptoms.

Without Mills, who started 16 games and came on strong down the stretch, the Patriots would have a noticeable void in their secondary. Behind Pro Bowler J.C. Jackson, they’re thin at cornerback. Joejuan Williams, who played 16 snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins, and Myles Bryant, who was taken off the COVID-19 list this week, would likely see an increased role. Bryant was torched by Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie in the Patriots’ 33-21 loss in December.

Veteran safety Devin McCourty preached a next man up mentality if Mills can’t play on Saturday.

“Guys just need to step up,” McCourty said. “Whoever ends up playing in some of his roles or whatever, guys just have to go out there, execute and play good football. Nobody’s been more important to this secondary than J. (Jonathan) Jones and to lose him early in the season, we knew what that meant for us, but guys have stepped. … We have guys on this roster who have played football for us, played football other places, so we’ll just have to see how it all works out leading into Saturday. But I think our group is excited for the opportunity, excited for some of these other guys to get an opportunity to play and take advantage of it.”

If Mills can’t go, it’s also possible that Cre’Von LeBlanc could play a role on Saturday. LeBlanc, who entered the NFL with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and has been with five different teams since, was re-signed to New England’s practice squad. McCourty has confidence in the 27-year-old cornerback, who impressed him during training camp in 2016.

“I think it’s great for us to add a guy like LeBlanc,” McCourty said. “We know at any moment, if we need him to play, he can play at a high level. … He’s been in Miami, so it’s not like all of this stuff is foreign to him of some of the things we do. Obviously it’s not exactly the same, but some of the principles in things that we do, I’m sure there’s some crossover down there in Miami. For him being in our system, then in Miami, then Houston, he’s seen some familiar faces and I’m sure there’s a little bit of crossover and he’ll be able to pick it up, and if we need him, go out there and play at a high level.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3nmm0qd