New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots have their own injury concerns heading into Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, primarily the status of star cornerback Christian Gonzalez’s ailing hamstring.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel shared on Monday that his team is also facing their fair share of injuries with six days to go before the AFC East clash.
“Storm Duck and James Daniels are expected to miss ‘weeks’ per Mike McDaniel. Austin Jackson (toe) needs further evaluation and Benito Jones is considered week to week,” ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques wrote on Bluesky. “Dolphins are down at least two starters entering Week 2, possibly more.”
Right guard James Daniels (pectoral), cornerback Storm Duck (ankle), right tackle Austin Jackson (toe) and defensive tackle Benito Jones (oblique) all suffered their injuries during Miami’s 33-8 road loss against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Each of the four players earned starts in the team’s season-opener.
Daniels signed with the Dolphins in March after spending the last three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2018 second-round pick missed the final 13 games of the 2024 campaign after suffering a torn Achilles in Week 4.
Duck is in his second NFL season after recording 35 tackles and four passes defended as a rookie. The 24-year-old played 29 defensive snaps against the Colts in Week 1, finishing with two tackles and one pass defended.
Jackson is in his sixth season (all with Miami) after the Dolphins selected him with the 18th overall pick in 2020. He started all eight games he played in during the 2024 campaign before going down with a season-ending knee injury in November.
Jones is in the second season of his second stint in South Beach after appearing in his first six NFL games with Miami in 2020. He spent 2022 and 2023 with the Detroit Lions, rejoined the Dolphins last March and finished the 2024 campaign with 24 tackles, four tackles for loss and three quarterback hits across 17 games.
