Ethan HurwitzSep 26, 2026
Hurwitz writes that the elevations of Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and Mike Brown likely mean Leonard Taylor III stays a healthy scratch and Joshua Farmer could be one too for the Week 3 game at Jacksonville, and that both elevated players will revert to the practice squad after Sunday.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Ethan Hurwitz said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromWith him being added, it would likely mean that Leonard Taylor III (who was inactive last week) will remain a healthy scratch.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Patriots Elevate 2 From Practice Squad: Here's What These Moves Mean
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 26
- GradedSep 27
- 1Jeremiah Pharms Jr. to land on the practice squad“After Sunday's game in Jacksonville, Pharms and Brown will revert back to the practice squad.”
- 2Availability Calls“Joshua Farmer could also be a healthy scratch along the defensive line. (Week 3)”
- 3Availability Calls“With him being added, it would likely mean that Leonard Taylor III (who was inactive last week) will remain a healthy scratch. (Week 3 vs. Jacksonville)”
- 4Mike Brown to land on the practice squad“After Sunday's game in Jacksonville, Pharms and Brown will revert back to the practice squad.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah Pharms Jr. to land on the practice squad1 | Roster Spot Calls | 1 week on a 53 | 0 | 100 | −189 | |
| “Joshua Farmer could also be a healthy scratch along the…”2 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| “With him being added, it would likely mean that Leonard Taylor…”3 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Mike Brown to land on the practice squad4 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 1 miss · 3 waiting | 0 | 100 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive4 checkable claims — 2 availability calls and 2 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Roster Spot CallsJeremiah Pharms Jr.New England Patriots
Jeremiah Pharms Jr. to land on the practice squad
What happened1 week on a 530Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×1.89difficulty=−189skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- NE
- skill:
- −189
- player:
- Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he lands on the practice squad
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 1.89
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 16
- first week on the53:
- 3
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 2
2Availability CallsJoshua FarmerNew England Patriots
“Joshua Farmer could also be a healthy scratch along the defensive line. (Week 3)”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Availability CallsLeonard Taylor IIINew England Patriots
“With him being added, it would likely mean that Leonard Taylor III (who was inactive last week) will remain a healthy scratch. (Week 3 vs. Jacksonville)”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Roster Spot CallsMike BrownNew England Patriots
Mike Brown to land on the practice squad
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Pat Fitzmaurice · Score Predictions · New England Patriots · Miss 14
Fitzmaurice predicted a 24-21 Patriots win over the Packers, said they would not be surprised if Jonathan Taylor were inactive amid trade talk, pegged Jonah Coleman as an RB22 rest-of-season value, expected Evan Hull to be Arizona's backup back, and saw Kerby Joseph returning in Week 10 or 11.Kevin Wildes · Game Outcome Picks · New England Patriots · Miss 0
Wildes took Minnesota over Buffalo, predicted a comfortable roughly 10-point New England win over Green Bay, and switched their Super Bowl matchup to Jaguars–Bears.Nick Wright · Game Outcome Picks · New England Patriots · Miss 0
Wright argued the Jaguars are the AFC's most complete team, calling them the considerable favorite for the No. 1 seed and the only club essentially locked into the playoffs. They also picked Tampa Bay to upset Chicago, had Kansas City sweeping its next three games, liked New England over Green Bay by about a field goal, and updated their Super Bowl matchup to Chiefs–49ers.Eric Mangini · Game Outcome Picks · New England Patriots · Miss 0
Mangini picked New England to beat Green Bay by more than a field goal, flagged Tampa Bay as their upset alert over Chicago, expects Kansas City to handle the Jets, took Buffalo over Minnesota, backed Cincinnati over Atlanta in Madrid, and updated their Super Bowl to Rams–Bengals.Connor Rogers · Game Outcome Picks · New England Patriots · Miss 0
Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · New England Patriots · Miss 31
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.
More availability calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Parker Hurley · Availability Calls · Deebo Samuel Sr. · Waiting
Hurley argued the 49ers' real deadline need was a pass-catching tight end rather than a receiver, and stated that Deebo Samuel will be available to play this week for San Francisco.Jose Sanchez · Availability Calls · Keenan Allen · Waiting
Sanchez argued the 49ers should have rested newly acquired receiver Keenan Allen against Dallas since Allen will go the whole 2026 season without a bye, but expects Allen to suit up and play every game starting with Sunday's game versus the Cowboys.Alain Poupart · Availability Calls · Chris Bell · Waiting
Poupart expects wide receiver Chris Bell to be inactive for the Week 10 game at Indianapolis because of a knee injury, with Jalen Reagor elevated in place of Bell.Jose Sanchez · Availability Calls · Keenan Allen · Waiting
Sanchez expects Keenan Allen to play in the 49ers' game against Dallas in a limited role on passing downs, and argues an injury is more likely than not given age and injury history, meaning Allen will end up being more of the same at receiver for San Francisco.Ralph Ventre · Availability Calls · Alec Anderson · Waiting
Ventre projects Buffalo's Week 10 offensive line at the Jets to feature Dawkins, Anderson, McGovern and Torrence back in place, with Tylan Grable making a third straight start at right tackle in place of Spencer Brown, who appears headed for the inactive list.