Defending against DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown just got even harder for the New England Patriots.
On Saturday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported a source revealed to him that Patriots starting cornerback Jalen Mills would not be playing in the Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The only positive spin is the fact that the news from Schultz was two-layered. While Mills is expected to miss the Cardinals game, it is believed he will be ready to return the following week for the showdown with Josh McDaniels and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Still, not having Mills on the field against one of the best receiving tandems in football could be a problem.
#Patriots CB Jalen Mills will not play on MNF vs the #Cardinals, a source tells @theScore.
I’m told Mills should be good to go next week, as he’s been dealing with a groin injury.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) December 10, 2022
Jonathan Jones will continue to handle coverage on the outside, and we’ll likely see even more work from burgeoning rookie corner Jack Jones.
Nothing will come easy with Kyler Murray under center for the Cardinals. His ability to run around and extend plays with his legs could prove to be another headache for coach Bill Belichick’s defense.