Patriots tight end Matt LaCosse (ankle) not expected to play vs. Steelers; wide receiver Demaryius Thomas not yet ruled out
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Patriots appear set to play their 2019 season opener with only one tight end on the active roster.
According to #Patriots TE Matt LaCosse (ankle), one of the players tasked with replacing TE Rob Gronkowski, is not expected to face the #Steelers, source said. The Pats haven’t ruled out WR Demaryius Thomas (hamstring) yet, but they will be cautious not to aggravate his hamstring further.
LaCosse’s absence would leave second-year pro Ryan Izzo as the only active TE for Sunday night. The Patriots have Stephen Anderson on their practice squad, while veterans Ben Watson and Lance Kendricks are both serving suspensions. Watson is out for the first four games of the season, while Kendricks’ suspension is for just one game.
Izzo figures to play almost every offensive snap on Sunday night, if not all of them. He had a solid showing in the preseason dress rehearsal with a nifty catch from Tom Brady and dependable run-blocking. The latter will be more important for Izzo to execute.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (hamstring) has not yet been ruled out. He’s also listed as questionable, along with safety Obi Melifonwu (ankle). Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, Phillip Dorsett, Jakobi Meyers, and Gunner Olszewski are the Patriots’ projected receivers against the Steelers if Thomas can’t go.
Newly signed free-agent receiver Antonio Brown is ineligible to play for the Patriots on Sunday, because he is not officially on the roster until Monday. The Patriots will need to make a corresponding roster move to make Brown’s addition official.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
