FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The following New England Patriots players are not expected to play in Friday night's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET) because of injury/rehabilitation:
OFFENSIVE LINE
C/G Chris Barker
WIDE RECEIVER
Brandon LaFell (PUP)
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Chris Jones (PUP)
LINEBACKER
Dane Fletcher (PUP)
All of the players were not spotted at practice on Tuesday or Wednesday this week, making them unlikely to play. Stork, the starting center, has been spotted in the locker room during the media-access period in recent weeks. In his absence, undrafted free agent David Andrews has been starting at center.
The Patriots have also held out tight end Rob Gronkowski and linebackers Jerod Mayo and Dont'a Hightower through two preseason games, and could elect to continue that tonight. Others in that category include receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Scott Chandler, among others.
