If Chris Hogan and Kyle Van Noy can play Saturday, expect a roster ripple effect on both sides of the ball

FOXBOROUGH — Good news for Chris Hogan and Kyle Van Noy — the duo have been removed from the Patriots injury report, it was revealed Thursday afternoon.

Hogan has struggled with a shoulder injury since an October win over the Chargers, and has clearly not been his usually effective self since — he has one catch for five yards in the wake of that hit. In addition, Van Noy, who suffered a calf injury in November, has been in and out of the lineup as the Patriots have occasionally suffered depth issues at linebacker.

Here’s the complete injury report for the Patriots:

LIMITED PARTICIPATION
DL Alan Branch (knee)
RB Rex Burkhead (knee)
LB Marquis Flowers (illness)
RB Mike Gillislee (knee)
DL Eric Lee (ankle/finger)
RB James White (ankle)

BSJ analysis: So if Hogan and Van Noy are OK to play, what does that mean for the rest of the roster?


If Hogan is able to go, that certainly brings some added depth to the receiving corps, which has been a little thin lately. It likely eats into the workload of newcomer Kenny Britt, as well as some of the others. The bottom line? While we should pump the brakes when it comes to the overall level of expectation, a healthy Hogan -- who has worked hard to earn the trust of Tom Brady since he arrived -- certainly provides a nice jolt to the passing game at the dawn of the postseason.

As for Van Noy, the veteran emerged as a steadying presence through the middle of the regular season, as the defense adjusted to life without Dont’a Hightower. While the expectations should also be managed for Van Noy, his presence would mean fewer snaps on Saturday for Marquis Flowers and Elandon Roberts.