The New England Patriots finished Sunday’s game against the New York Jets without three starters: receiver Romeo Doubs with a shoulder injury, left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker with a hamstring problem and right tackle Morgan Moses with a sore ankle were all ruled out at Gillette Stadium, and the club now has four days to get ready for a Thursday night game in Chicago.
Doubs was hurt on the best play of his afternoon. Late in the first quarter, with about 4:10 left, he laid out to catch a 42-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye, came up holding his shoulder and went to the locker room. The Patriots first listed him as questionable to return, then ruled him out early in the third quarter.
Both offensive linemen went down in the second quarter. Vera-Tucker was ruled out at the same time as Doubs. Moses was called questionable to return before he was downgraded to out later in the game, and rookie Caleb Lomu played right tackle in his place.
Vera-Tucker and Doubs have been ruled out for the remainder of the game.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) October 18, 2026
An offensive line running out of bodies
It got thinner still in the fourth quarter. Backup Ben Brown, who had moved in at guard, was helped off after his right leg was rolled up on, which put Matt Pryor at one guard spot and Walter Rouse at the other. Mike Giardi described the line as “on life support.” Edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones also stayed down for about a minute with a knee problem in the fourth quarter before walking to the bench on his own.
Pats offensive line is on life support. Ben Brown helped off after his right leg got rolled up on. Vera-Tucker (hammy) and Moses (ankle) were ruled out earlier in the game. Pryor is in at one guard and Rouse now at the other.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) October 18, 2026
The line was already patched together. Guard Mike Onwenu is out with a broken ankle, and left tackle Will Campbell and running back TreVeyon Henderson played Sunday through sprains from the Las Vegas game after both were listed as questionable.
What Doubs’s absence would mean
Doubs, who joined New England in March on a $68 million contract over four years, has been Maye’s most dependable target this season. The timing is cruel: A.J. Brown came off injured reserve on Saturday and played on Sunday for the first time since hurting his ankle in Week 1, so New England finally had its top two receivers together for one quarter. If Doubs cannot go on Thursday, Brown is back to carrying the receiver room on a short week.
The Patriots had not given any diagnosis or timeline for the three starters when this story was published. Head coach Mike Vrabel is expected to speak after the game, and Monday will bring the first look at who can work before a Thursday game.
What comes next
New England plays the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, October 22, at 8:15 p.m. EDT. With only three days between games, the first practice report comes on Monday. Every status is tracked on our NFL injuries page and in the Jets-Patriots Game Center.
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