FOXBORO -- Dont'a Hightower and Malcolm Butler, arguably the two most important players on the Patriots defense, have been listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Denver. Both players were added to the injury report this week with knee and hip ailments, respectively. Butler suffered his injury against the Ravens on Monday but is expecting to be OK. Hightower popped up on the injury report on Thursday.
Others listed as questionable for the Patriots include Martellus Bennett, Matthew Slater, Jordan Richards, Elandon Roberts and Eric Rowe. Richards and Rowe were scratched from Monday's game against the Ravens. Should the Patriots go without Rowe in the secondary, that could mean more playing time for rookie Cyrus Jones or second-year man Justin Coleman.
Here's the full injury report for Sunday's Patriots-Broncos game:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
OUT
WR Danny Amendola (ankle)
QUESTIONABLE
TE Martellus Bennett (ankle/shoulder)
CB Malcolm Butler (hip)
LB Dont'a Hightower (knee)
DB Jordan Richards (knee)
LB Elandon Roberts (hamstring)
DB Eric Rowe (hamstring)
WR/SpT Matthew Slater (foot)
DENVER BRONCOS
New England Patriots
OUT
ILB Brandon Marshall (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE
ILB Todd Davis (rib cage)
PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE
LS Casey Kreiter (calf)
NOT LISTED ON INJURY REPORT
TE A.J. Derby (groin)
WR Bennie Fowler (knee)
ILB Corey Nelson (finger)
T Russell Okung (not injury related)
C Matt Paradis (hips)
QB Trevor Siemian (foot)
CB Aqib Talib (back)
OLB DeMarcus Ware (thigh)