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    New England Patriots Inactives: Rookie Javon Baker Benched Amid Controversy

    Which players will suit up for the New England Patriots on Sunday vs. the Cincinnati Bengals? Here are the inactives, injured players, and projected lineups.

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    The New England Patriots will play three games over the next 11 days, starting with Sunday’s road matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

    It’s a daunting task for the rebuilding Patriots, who arrived in Cincinnati as 8.5-point underdogs. New England faces a tall order, but it has a relatively clear path toward keeping the game close — and even winning it.

    But who will suit up for the Patriots on Sunday?

    Let’s go over inactives, injury designations, and projected lineups.

    Who Are the Inactives for the New England Patriots in Week 1 vs. Cincinnati Bengals?

    Here’s the Patriots’ full Week 1 inactives list:

    Sidy Sow was ruled out in the final Week 1 injury report. The second-year guard hasn’t practiced since suffering an ankle injury in the Patriots’ preseason finale against Washington.

    A week that began in controversy for Javon Baker ended in a benching for the fourth-round rookie receiver. Baker received backlash after ranting on Instagram Live about a Massachusetts police officer and showed no remorse during a conversation with Pro Football Network on Thursday.

    On Monday, Jerod Mayo said Baker would be “punished” but not suspended. It’s unclear whether Baker’s Week 1 benching has anything to do with his off-field issues.

    Demontrey Jacobs, Zach Thomas, Curtis Jacobs, and Eric Johnson were claimed off waivers after roster cutdowns. The Patriots still are getting all four players up to speed.

    The Patriots entered Sunday with four players listed as questionable: Antonio Gibson, Jabrill Peppers, Vederian Lowe, and Joshua Uche. All four are active for Week 1.

    Lowe was entrenched as the starting left tackle before suffering a late-summer abdomen injury. It’s unclear whether he’ll reclaim his spot in the season opener.

    Projected Patriots Week 1 Starting Lineups

    Lineups won’t be confirmed until after Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff, but here’s an educated guess at New England’s positional groupings:

    Quarterback

    Starter: Jacoby Brissett

    Backups: Drake Maye, Joe Milton III (emergency third QB)

    Running Back

    Starter: Rhamondre Stevenson

    Backups: Antonio Gibson, JaMycal Hasty

    Wide Receiver

    Starters: DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton

    Backups: Ja’Lynn Polk, Kayshon Boutte

    Tight End

    Starter: Hunter Henry

    Backups: Austin Hooper, Jaheim Bell

    Offensive Line

    Starters: Chukwuma Okorafor, Nick Leverett, David Andrews, Layden Robinson, Mike Onwenu

    Backups: Michael Jordan, Vederian Lowe, Caedan Wallace

    Defensive Tackle

    Starters: Deatrich Wise Jr., Davon Godchaux, Daniel Ekuale

    Backups: Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Trysten Hill

    EDGE

    Starters: Keion White, Anfernee Jennings

    Backups: Joshua Uche, Oshane Ximines

    Linebacker

    Starters: Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai

    Backups: Christian Elliss, Raekwon McMillan

    Cornerback

    Starters: Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones

    Backups: Alex Austin, Marco Wilson, Marcellas Dial Jr.

    Safety

    Starters: Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger

    Backups: Jaylinn Hawkins, Dell Pettus, Brenden Schooler

    Special Teams

    Kicker: Joey Slye

    Punter: Bryce Baringer

    Long Snapper: Joe Cardona

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