Thomas, S. A.J. DT Trysten Hill

G Liam Fornadel
Calvin Jones, OT, G Jerome Carvin

A full practice squad is available for the Patriots ahead of their Sunday, Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

ESPN announced the hiring of a former Patriots champion.

One former New England Patriots champion is doing the same things that Rob Ninkovich, Tedy Bruschi, and other players have done.

ESPN said on Tuesday that former NFL cornerback Jason McCourty had been brought on as an analyst. On September 4, McCourty will make his network debut. He will appear on a number of their television shows, including “Get Up,” “First Take,” “NFL Live,” and “SportsCenter.”

The 37-year-old McCourty was a member of four different clubs throughout his 13 seasons as an NFL player. The Patriots, for whom he played from 2018 to 20 and began on the squad that defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, are the team with which he is most frequently linked.

Following his 2022 announcement of retirement, McCourty immediately entered the sports media fray. He has previously served as co-host of “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network and as an analyst for CBS during NFL game broadcasts. Similar to his twin brother Devin, McCourty is now scheduled to join another major TV network.

Patriots gear up for the Bengals’ opening-day availability of Ja’Marr Chase.

Ja’Marr Chase’s status for the Cincinnati Bengals’ upcoming season opener against the New England Patriots is unknown as the two sides are still at odds about his contract. Chase did not participate in the last two practices held last week, and he did not practice on Monday either.

The three-time Pro Bowl player may very well end up being unable to play in Sunday’s game, but the Patriots are not persuaded. Actually, just the contrary: they are getting ready as though Chase will be a member of the Bengals offense in Week 1.

“He’s playing the worst case scenario, so you should be ready for it. The expectation is that he will play going into the week, as cornerback Jonathan Jones stated on WEEI on Tuesday.

“For us, having him there is the plan. If he doesn’t play, you also have to prepare for the guys behind him by keeping an eye on them at the same time. Thus, I would suggest just trying to be as ready as you can. But in the end, we’re going to get ready as though he’s going to be there.

Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots’ top cornerback, who will probably face Chase for a considerable amount of time, felt the same way.

“I’m getting ready the same way he is,” Gonzalez remarked. “I am simply preparing as though he is playing, regardless of what is happening with that.”

Since joining the NFL as the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Chase has established himself as one of the top wide receivers in the game. Leading all Bengals pass catchers in catches, yards, and touchdowns in each of his first three professional seasons, he is quarterback Joe Burrow’s favorite target.

His absence would undoubtedly hurt the Bengals’ offense while also improving New England’s chances of winning. After all, Gonzalez called Chase a “complete package”; without him, Cincinnati would be missing a valuable wide receiver.

“He has every tool,” the second-year cornerback remarked. “He’s a fantastic route runner—quick, agile, powerful, and intelligent. He thus has every instrument a recipient could ask for. He’s a terrific receiver, as is Tee Higgins. It’s a challenge, but in this league, that’s what you want. I’m looking forward to it. You constantly want to choose the opposing side.

It remains to be seen if Gonzalez and the Patriots will actually execute that on Sunday. But they’re not going to take any chances.