Cannon placed on injured reserve
The Patriots placed offensive tackle Marcus Cannon on injured reserve Saturday afternoon.
The team already had ruled Cannon out for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, and he’ll now miss at least three additional games. Cannon did not practice all week because of a concussion.
Cannon, 34, arrived in New England in September for his second stint with the team, first as a member of the practice squad, before getting moved to the active roster in October. He appeared in five games, often playing as a jumbo tight end on the offensive line or in relief of starting right tackle Isaiah Wynn, who has struggled this season.
When a shoulder injury sidelined Wynn against the Bears in Week 7, Cannon filled in and played 100 percent of the offensive snaps.
The Patriots did not move Wynn at the trade deadline this past week, a move that seems shrewd now given their lack of depth on the offensive line. Yodny Cajuste, a 2019 third-round draft pick, is New England’s only available backup tackle now that Cannon is on IR.
With starting center David Andrews also ruled out for Sunday’s game because of a concussion, the Patriots temporarily elevated center Kody Russey from the practice squad to the gameday roster. Russey also was elevated last week against the Jets but did not take any snaps.
The Patriots used the open spot on the 53-man roster to sign running back J.J. Taylor off the practice squad. Taylor offers immediate depth at the position, with Damien Harris listed as questionable to play Sunday because of an illness and rookie Pierre Strong Jr. questionable because of a hamstring injury.
Taylor, a member of the active roster in 2020 and 2021, has yet to take a snap this season. Last year, he played just 4.7 percent of the offensive snaps, rushing for 37 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.
Wide receiver/running back Lynn Bowden Jr. also was temporarily elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. Colts transactions
The Colts elevated running backs Phillip Lindsay and Jordan Wilkins from the practice squad to the active roster. With Jonathan Taylor (ankle) sidelined and Nyheim Hines recently traded to the Bills, Lindsay and Wilkins will join Deon Jackson
in the backfield. Zack Moss,
whom the Colts received in exchange for Hines, is also an option, though coach Frank Reich
is unsure how much he can contribute since he only practiced with the team on Thursday and Friday.