Breaking News: Patriots Advance Seasoned Veterans to Active Roster for Matchup Against the 49ers.
The Patriots are making roster adjustments to strengthen both their offense and defense ahead of their Sunday game against the San Francisco 49ers.
On Saturday, they promoted veteran tight end Mitchell Wilcox and defensive tackle Trysten Hill from the practice squad to the active roster. These moves aim to strengthen their lineup for the showdown against one of the NFC’s top teams.
Additionally, the Patriots signed cornerback Isaiah Bolden to their 53-man roster while placing cornerback Alex Austin on injured reserve. Austin, who had appeared in three games, suffered an ankle injury last week. Bolden, a 2023 seventh-round pick, began the season on the practice squad.
The Patriots had a rough game last week, allowing seven sacks and 15 quarterback hits in a heavy defeat by the New York Jets. Their defense also struggled, giving up 400 total yards and allowing the Jets to convert 10 of 15 third downs.
The team hopes Wilcox, known for his blocking abilities, can assist in protecting against the 49ers’ dominant pass rusher, Nick Bosa. On the offensive line, the Patriots are dealing with injuries. Left tackle Vederian Lowe and left guard Michael Jordan have both been ruled out, while Sidy Sow and Caedan Wallace are questionable due to injuries. Only two tackles, Michael Onwenu and Demontrey Jacobs, are fully healthy.
Wilcox, who is 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, has played 48 games over the past three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He earned a positive pass-blocking grade last season and has been recognized by the Patriots’ coaching staff for his performance in practice.
With four tight ends on the roster (Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Jaheim Bell, and Wilcox), the Patriots plan to provide extra help for their offensive tackles against Bosa. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt acknowledged Bosa’s threat, calling him a “nightmare” ahead of the game.
Defensively, the Patriots are looking to improve their run defense after allowing 133 rushing yards to the Jets last week. Although the 49ers will be without star running back Christian McCaffrey, backup Jordan Mason has been performing well, averaging 108 rushing yards per game this season.
Hill, promoted for the second time this season, was a second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2019 and has played 33 career games. He contributed during the Patriots’ regular-season win over Cincinnati, playing seven snaps.
