The following players were deactivated for the Patriots game Sunday against the Giants: quarterback Ryan Mallett, running back Kevin Faulk, wide receiver Taylor Price, offensive lineman Donald Thomas, defensive lineman Shaun Ellis, linebacker Jermaine Cunningham and linebacker Dane Fletcher.
Price is perhaps the most interesting name listed — offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said earlier in the week that they were hoping to get Price more involved in the offense. However, the young receiver, who had been fighting a hamstring problem since the start of the season, apparently had an issue with it again late this week and was added to the injury report as “questionable” on Saturday.
As for the rest of the group, Ellis suffered a rib injury last week against the Steelers, while Faulk said he was a little banged up in the wake of his first game in more than a year after coming off the PUP list. This is another healthy scratch for Cunningham, while Mallett’s is simply the victim of a numbers game at the quarterback spot. Meanwhile, Fletcher remains on the shelf with a thumb injury, and Thomas’ spot among the inactives likely means the Patriots feel good about their depth at offensive tackle (Sebastian Vollmer had been down for several weeks earlier this season with a back injury.)
Among the notables who are healthy enough to give it a go are defensive lineman Ron Brace, who came off the physically unable to perform list this week, while fellow defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth is also good to go after struggling with a back injury over the last month or so. And Julian Edelman, who was charged with indecent assault after an incident at an area nightclub and was a healthy scratch last week, is also dressing for the game.
