FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- There will be more clarity on two of the New England Patriots' more pressing roster-related questions entering Sunday's AFC Championship Game: Will receiver Malcolm Mitchell be activated to the 53-man roster, and is the injury that top special teams player Jonathan Jones (No. 4 cornerback) sustained serious enough to knock him out for the rest of the year?
Wednesday is the deadline for the Patriots' decision on Mitchell, and here are a few of the dynamics in play:
Mitchell, Jones could be tied together: If the injury to Jones lands him on injured reserve, that could open a spot for Mitchell that wouldn't have otherwise been there.