Patriots elevate Mike Brown and Jeremiah Pharms Jr. before Jaguars game

New England elevated safety Mike Brown and defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. from its practice squad Saturday for Sunday's game at Jacksonville. The team's transaction announcement confirms both moves. They add two defensive options after a week in which injuries reduced the Patriots' depth at multiple positions, but an elevation does not establish either player's snap count or guarantee that both will dress.

The safety move has a direct game-status context. Craig Woodson is questionable with a shoulder injury, and the team placed Dell Pettus on injured reserve earlier in the week. Patriots staff writer Evan Lazar reported Saturday that Woodson traveled to Jacksonville. He practiced on a limited basis Friday after missing time earlier in the week. Traveling keeps a chance of playing open; it does not turn a questionable designation into a confirmed active status. Sunday's inactive list will settle that question.

Brown gives New England another safety and special-teams option if it needs one. According to the Patriots' roster biography, he has played 38 NFL games, with five starts and 15 special-teams tackles. Lazar notes that the Patriots have used three-safety looks during the opening two weeks and that Jacksonville often uses two tight ends. Those tendencies explain why extra safety depth may matter, but they do not specify Sunday's defensive package.

Pharms supplies interior depth. The team's announcement credits him with 31 NFL games and five starts. Lazar also notes his past special-teams work in New England. His elevation should not be confused with an edge replacement: despite Dre'Mont Jones being ruled out with a shoulder injury and Quintayvious Hutchins moving to injured reserve, New England did not elevate an outside pass rusher. Its available edge group includes Elijah Ponder, Gabe Jacas and Jose Ramirez, whom the team signed to the 53-man roster earlier this week.

There is a separate question on offense. Rookie tight end Eli Raridon, listed questionable with a thigh injury on the final injury report, also made the trip, according to Lazar. He did not practice Thursday or Friday. New England will know more when game-day inactives are announced before the 1 p.m. Eastern kickoff at EverBank Stadium. The Saturday elevations are the confirmed news; the roles of Brown, Pharms, Woodson and Raridon remain game-day decisions.