The New England Patriots will be without an important member of their secondary in Week 2 after officially ruling cornerback Carlton Davis III out against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Davis was initially listed as questionable but did not practice during the week because of a neck injury. New England downgraded him to out on Saturday.
Carlton Davis will miss the Steelers game
Davis' absence is significant for the Patriots' defense. The veteran cornerback started all 17 games for New England last season and played an important role in the secondary.
He also played nearly every defensive snap during the Patriots' season opener against Seattle.
Patriots must adjust their secondary
With Davis unavailable, New England will have to rely more heavily on players such as Charles Woods, Marcus Jones and Karon Prunty.
The Patriots also have Kindle Vildor available on the practice squad as another potential depth option at cornerback.
New England hosts Pittsburgh
The Patriots will host the Steelers on Sunday, September 20, at Gillette Stadium.
New England enters the matchup at 0-1 after losing to Seattle, while Pittsburgh opened the season with a victory over Atlanta.
Davis' absence will force the Patriots to adjust their defensive personnel against a Pittsburgh offense that will look to take advantage of opportunities in the passing game.