The New England Patriots have added another key player to the injury report ahead of their Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Safety Jabrill Peppers is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with a hip injury, per Ian Rapoport on X, formerly Twitter. Peppers was expected to be a captain in Sunday's game, but now could be among others to miss the Patriots' first opportunity against a conference opponent.

Peppers and the Patriots came to terms on a three-year, $24 million contract extension in the offseason. He has been a reliable player for New England in the last two seasons, appearing in 17 games in 2022, and 15 games in 2023. He suffered a torn ACL in 2021, his final season with the New York Giants, but has been healthy since his recovery. The 28-year-old should play a quality role for the Patriots this season, but it may take another week before he gets started.

Who needs to step up in the Patriots' secondary for Jabrill Peppers

New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers (5) takes the field with teammates before the game against the Washington Commanders at Commanders Field
© Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Kyle Duggar and Jaylinn Hawkins are next up on New England's depth chart. Dell Pettus is technically Peppers' backup at free safety, but it's likely that head coach Jerod Mayo and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington move Hawkins over to play opposite Duggar in the 3-4 defense.

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The Bengals have a lethal passing attack led by Joe Burrow, and could potentially have star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins available to spread the field. Chase is waiting for a contract extension, while Higgins is on the injury report with a hamstring injury. Still, it's going to be quite an offensive showcase, as Cincinnati's secondary unit also isn't the strongest. Jacoby Brissett will start at quarterback for the Patriots, and they will need to rely on the ball-carrying prowess of Rhamondre Stevenson in order to match the offensive pace.

Also present on the Patriots' injury report is guard Sidy Sow, running back Antonio Gibson, tackle Vederian Lowe and linebacker Joshua Uche. Sow is already confirmed as inactive, while Gibson, Lowe and Uche will be a game-time decision.

Peppers will have until kickoff at 1:00 PM ET to make a final decision on his Week 1 status. While the Patriots would like to pull the upset, they are heading towards a rebuilding campaign, so letting them rest one of their biggest defensive investments for one regular season contest wouldn't be the worst thing.

The game will be played at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, and will air on CBS.