Patriots place Marcus Cannon on injured reserve, sign J.J. Taylor to 53-man roster amid series of moves

The New England Patriots placed veteran offensive tackle Marcus Cannon on injured reserve in advance of Sunday’s matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

In corresponding moves, the organization has signed running back J.J. Taylor to the 53-man roster and elevated wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. as well as center Kody Russey from the practice squad.

ESPN’s Field Yates first reported the series of transactions.

Cannon, 34, entered the NFL’s concussion protocol following Wednesday’s practice and was officially ruled out on Friday. The three-time Super Bowl champion has started four games since returning to the Patriots as part of the practice squad in September. A 2011 fifth-round draft choice out of Texas Christian who earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2016, the 6-foot-5, 335-pound Cannon spent last year with the Houston Texans.

Taylor, 24, had been waived by New England at the league’s roster deadline before signing to the practice squad of 16 at its formation. The 2020 undrafted arrival from the University of Arizona stands 11 games into his career. At a listed 5-foot-6, 185 pounds in the backfield, Taylor has handled 42 carries for 147 yards and two touchdowns to go with five catches for 12 yards. On special teams, he has returned five kickoffs for 112 yards and one punt for 11 yards.

Bowden, 25, signed to the Patriots’ practice squad as the calendar turned from August after stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins. Multiple black jerseys have followed for the Kentucky product as a practice player of the week. A former first-team All-American and Paul Hornung Award winner, the 5-foot-11, 204-pound Bowden was selected in the third round of the 2020 draft. Spending last campaign on injured reserve, he caught 28 passes for 211 yards as a rookie while also rushing nine times for 32 yards.

Russey, 23, served as a standard elevation from the practice squad last Sunday against the New York Jets and awaits his first NFL snaps beyond the preseason. The 6-foot-2, 300-pound interior lineman by way of Louisiana Tech and Houston started 60 games during his collegiate tenure before landing in Foxborough as a rookie free agent in May.

The final injury report saw wide receiver DeVante Parker (knee) and center David Andrews (concussion) also ruled out for New England. An additional seven members of the active roster remain questionable to face Indianapolis. That group includes running back Damien Harris, who was limited to conclude prep after missing consecutive sessions due to an illness.

Kickoff at Gillette Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.