CINCINNATI -- It came as little surprise, but an hour and a half before the Cincinnati Bengals' Sunday night game at New England, receiver Marvin Jones and linebacker Vontaze Burfict were officially declared inactive.
The pair had been expected to be placed under that designation after ending up as doubtful on Friday's injury report.
Jones had been targeting this week's game as the night he would return from a preseason foot injury, but an ankle injury suffered in last Monday's practice forced him back out of the rotation. He had just returned from the broken foot injury, one he suffered during an open training-camp practice, when he tweaked the ankle earlier this week. The foot injury came after he already dealt with an ankle injury at the start of camp.
Because of all the injuries, the third-year wideout has only been part of five practices this entire season; preseason included.
Burfict suffered concussions in the Bengals' first two games before sitting in Week 3. Even after taking off the Bengals' bye last week, he wasn't determined to be clear of the concussion protocol to suit up for Sunday night's game. Before the contest, he was out on the field going through conditioning exercises with a trainer and linebackers coach Matt Burke watching. It was much the same type of activity he did during the open portion of Friday's practice, the only workout Burfict has been part of since his Week 2 concussion against the Falcons.
It's possible Burfict could return next week when the Bengals host Carolina.
Along with Burfict, Jones was on the field during pregame warmups, wearing receivers' gloves and tennis shoes instead of cleats. He caught passes and played catch with teammates, but didn't participate in any of the route-running drills that his teammates went through.
Jones and Burfict were joined on the list of inactives by right offensive guard Kevin Zeitler and defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, among others. Running back Rex Burkhead also made it on the list, despite returning to practice last week for the first time since suffering a knee injury in the Bengals' second preseason game. Another player who just returned from a preseason injury, linebacker Sean Porter, was active. He likely was included on the 46-man roster in order to participate on various special teams units.
For the Patriots, defensive back Alfonzo Dennard was activated for the first time this season, meaning he and cousin Darqueze Dennard, the Bengals' first-round pick from Michigan State, will get to play in an NFL game together for the first time in their careers.
Here is the complete list of Bengals and Patriots inactives:
Bengals
LB Vontaze Burfict
WR Marvin Jones
RB Rex Burkhead
OG Kevin Zeitler
DT Brandon Thompson
DE Will Clarke
Patriots
RB James White
DB Nate Ebner
OL Josh Kline
DL Zach Moore
