Week 8 Patriots vs Bills inactives: Dont’a Hightower OUT, Rob Gronkowski returns

In not even 90 minutes, the New England Patriots will play their eighth game of the season – a prime time matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The defending AFC East champions are a bit nicked up for their first meeting with the Bills this season as a look at the inactives list just released shows:

Patriots inactives

OT Marcus Cannon

DE Geneo Grissom

TE Jacob Hollister

LB Dont’a Hightower

RB Sony Michel

CB Eric Rowe

OL Brian Schwenke

Of the seven players declared inactive for tonight’s game, six have already been ruled out in the days leading up to the contest. Hightower is the only additional player to sit out the game against Buffalo – he is was listed as questionable on Saturday’s final injury report because of a knee injury and will be held out of the contest. In his place, Kyle Van Noy will likely serve as the team’s defensive on-field signal caller.

With the exception of Hightower and starting right tackle Marcus Cannon, the rest of the questionables from Saturday will all play tonight: starting left tackle Trent Brown, wide receiver Josh Gordon – who will not start because the team is disciplining him for tardiness – and defensive edges John Simon and Deatrich Wise Jr. are all available – as is tight end Rob Gronkowski who returns after a one-game absence.

Bills inactives

QB Josh Allen

RB Taiwan Jones

CB Dontae Johnson

OG Ike Boettger

OT Conor McDermott

OG Wyatt Teller

DE Trent Murphy

The biggest names on the Bills’ list of inactives are obviously first-round rookie quarterback Josh Allen and defensive edge Trent Murphy, although both have already been declared out on Saturday. Meanwhile, running back LeSean McCoy returns after suffering a concussion last Sunday.