WR Michael Floyd won't be playing in AFC title game after Patriots declare him inactive

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots raised some eyebrows in December when they claimed receiver Michael Floyd off waivers after Floyd was released by the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals parted ways with the former first-round pick after Floyd was arrested in the early-morning hours of Dec. 12, when Scottsdale, Ariz. police found him passed out behind the wheel of his running car; the arrest came not long after the Cardinals returned to the area after a Week 14 game in Miami.

But the Patriots took Floyd in, adding him to the mix late in the season. If it worked out, they had some depth for their receiving corps; if it didn’t, Floyd’s rookie contract expires after this season and they can walk away, no big deal.

Floyd played in the final two regular-season games for New England, with four catches for 42 yards and a touchdown.

But he did not play well last week in the team’s divisional-round win over the Houston Texans.

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That reality, combined with the improved health of trusted rookie Malcolm Mitchell (knee) has led to Floyd being a healthy scratch for the AFC championship game on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If New England wins and the receiving corps comes out of Sunday night’s game relatively healthy, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Floyd is three-games-and-out with the Patriots.