The New England Patriots have announced their inactives for week 5 against the Cleveland Browns.
RB Brandon Bolden
LB Shea McClellin
DT Vincent Valentine
TE Greg Scruggs
CB Justin Coleman
CB Eric Rowe
OT Marcus Cannon
Bolden, McClellin, and Valentine were expected inactives. RB D.J. Foster, ED Rob Ninkovich, and DT Woodrow Hamilton should have expanded roles in their stead.
Scruggs is a scratch as he continues to learn the offense, while the same applies to Rowe on defense.
Coleman as a healthy scratch is a major surprise, though, because he is healthy. He is behind rookie Cyrus Jones in the depth chart. The Browns don’t have a strong passing game, so perhaps the team is focusing their full attention on the run.
Cannon has been battling a calf injury and worked out prior to the game. The coaches and doctors decided he wasn’t ready to play. OT Cameron Fleming will be the starter in his place and LaAdrian Waddle will be the top back-up. Fleming played well when LT Nate Solder was unable to play early in the season, so hopefully he can play at a high level this week.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, OG Joe Thuney, and RB LeGarrette Blount are active despite injury concerns. QB Tom Brady and Ninkovich will be active in their first games back from suspension.
Here are the Browns inactives:
QB Josh McCown
WR Corey Coleman
DB Tramon Williams
C Austin Reiter
C Cameron Erving
TE Randall Telfer
TE Seth DeValve
The Browns offensive line will be weak in the middle, while Coleman is a top wide receiver and Williams a solid veteran presence in the secondary.