Patriots vs. Texans NFL Week 5 injury report, odds, spread: Isaiah Wynn, Mike Onwenu on COVID list, Stephon Gilmore traded to Panthers

Sunday's matchup for the New England Patriots at the awful Houston Texans was shaping up as perhaps a bit of a letdown game as it was for the Pats off their huge Week 4 matchup and heartbreaking loss against Tom Brady and the Super Bowl champion Bucs. Now, the Patriots might be down starting left guard Mike Onwenu and left tackle Isaiah Wynn as both have landed on the COVID list. And in even bigger news, cornerback and 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore was traded to Carolina – but he wasn't playing Sunday regardless.

Players who test positive for COVID and are asymptomatic "can return to duty after two negative tests 24 hours apart," according to NFL protocols. Thus, it's possible that Lynn and/or Onwenu could play Sunday if not overly likely. It's not clear if either tested positive or has been vaccinated. Unvaccinated players who test positive for COVID-19 must continue to isolate for 10 days.

Yodny Cajuste is the backup to Wynn and Ted Karras to Onwenu. Cajuste was a 2019 third-round pick out of West Virginia who never saw the field his first two seasons but has gotten into two games this year. Karras, meanwhile, has played plenty since his 2016 rookie season with the Pats and started all 16 games at center last year with Miami before returning to New England in free agency. Karras is listed as the backup center as well.

The surprise is definitely Gilmore, who had yet to play this season and was going to be released before the Patriots found a trade partner in the Panthers, who gave up a 2023 sixth-round pick and had the cap space to take on his contract. 

The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro had been unhappy with his contract – in the final year of it – and had been on the physically unable to perform list due to a quadriceps injury, missing all of camp as well. He was eligible to come off that after Week 6. Two years ago, Gilmore was the first player under Bill Belichick to earn NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and tied for the NFL lead in interceptions. 

A former Mr. Football in South Carolina, Gilmore led South Pointe High to the 2008 state title his senior year as the Stallions' QB and played alongside 2014 No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. Both then went on to star collegiately at South Carolina.

New England, meanwhile, was roughly $54,000 under the salary cap and now will have an additional $5.8 million in cap space. The Patriots have J.C. Jackson and Jalen Mills as their starting cornerbacks.

The Pats are -9 at Houston, which has lost three in a row by a combined score of 95-30.

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