Patriots inactives list for Week 10 game against the Bears

We are officially in the second half of the 2024 NFL season, and the Patriots are set to take on the Chicago Bears in Week 10 at Soldier Field. It will be the first matchup between this year's first overall pick (Caleb Williams) and the third overall pick (Drake Maye) in their respective careers, which will surely be the leading story of the game, even if they don't directly face each other on the field.

Both the Bears and the Patriots are dealing with some unfortunate circumstances at this point in the year, but the struggles New England is experiencing were expected; that's not exactly the case with Chicago.

After suffering back-to-back losses to the Commanders and Cardinals, they appear to be in flux, prompting questions about head coach Matt Eberflus' fit for the team moving forward. Rumors have flown suggesting the team has already turned on him , which doesn't bode well for them heading into this pivotal Week 10 game.

It could create an unforeseen opportunity for the Patriots in enemy territory, as the Bears could be in a less desirable situation than they are.

No matter what, this is a winnable game for New England if they can build upon what they accomplished last week against the Titans, especially rallying late in the game to force overtime.

Full Inactives List for the New England Patriots

*List will be updated when official inactives are announced

QUESTIONABLE: DE Daniel Ekuale, OT Vederian Lowe, S Marte Mapu, G Layden Robinson, DT Jaquelin Roy, CB Alex Austin, G Mike Jordan

Key Absences and Their Impact

Offensive Impact

With three of the team's offensive linemen listed as questionable, more shuffling of the starting group is expected. The coaching staff was already experimenting at practice this week by moving Mike Onwenu from the right side to the left, which seems like a bad decision, given how successful he is at right guard.

But that has been a common theme for the group this season, with the starting roster changing almost every week. That could be their fate again on Sunday, even if the questionable players can suit up. Hopefully, it won't be a rough day for Drake Maye, no matter what happens.

Defensive impact

Kyle Dugger remaining sidelined is never ideal for the Patriots' secondary. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that his status is getting closer to being back on the field than it was one week ago. He will now miss his third straight game as he continues to nurse an ankle injury, meaning the backup safeties will still be making up in his absence.

So far, they have done a fair job with Dugger out. However, they will have quite a test on Sunday against a very talented Bears offense. How they will be able to manage locking down their receivers will be one of the big storylines of their matchup.

The defense will also be without linebacker Christian Elliss, who has seen an increased role in recent weeks, especially since Joshua Uche's departure. The linebackers have had a rough season so far, making Elliss' absence hurt a bit more than it would have a month ago.

Special teams impact

Elliss' status will also impact special teams, as he has been one of the bright spots of the group so far this season. As the group continues to improve under the coaching of Jeremy Springer, Elliss' versatility will be missed in this game, potentially more so on the return team.

Full Inactives List for the Chicago Bears

*List will be updated when official inactives are announced

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