Patriots elevate tackle Conor McDermott from practice squad on eve of Dolphins game

Sunday’s kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.

The New England Patriots have elevated Conor McDermott from the practice squad for Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

The AFC East matchup will mark the first appearance of the regular season for the veteran offensive tackle.

McDermott, 31, returned to Foxborough midway through October after being released from injured reserve with a settlement in September. The final pick in New England’s 2017 draft class, McDermott originally arrived in the sixth round at No. 211 overall. He was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills following his rookie preseason and made his way back off the practice squad of the New York Jets last fall.

On the 53-man roster from there, McDermott made six consecutive starts at right tackle and reached a contract extension in February. Through 49 NFL games, he stands with a dozen starts as well as a touchdown reception as an eligible tight end.

“We had the injury settlement. He’s back and he’s been out there,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said during his Friday press conference. “He’s worked hard. He’s a smart guy, came in and picked things up well last year. So, yeah, he’s coming along.”

The 6-foot-8, 305-pound UCLA product is scheduled to revert on Monday.

After offensive tackle Calvin Anderson was ruled out on the final injury report, the Patriots downgraded fellow bookend Vederian Lowe and outside linebacker Josh Uche. Six members of the active roster remain listed as questionable.

The Dolphins activated three-time first-team All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from injured reserve on the eve of the divisional visit.

Kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.