The New England Patriots could get two key players back for Sunday’s game against the Jets. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez said Wednesday he is ready to play after sitting out two games with a shoulder injury, and head coach Mike Vrabel said receiver A.J. Brown would return to practice for the first time since going on injured reserve, ESPN and NBC Sports reported.
Gonzalez was hurt in a Week 3 defeat to Jacksonville and at first believed he was fine, he told reporters. “I’m good now, ready for Sunday,” he said, according to ESPN. He watched last Sunday’s 45-17 victory against the Raiders from the sideline, saying it mattered to him to support his teammates.
Brown’s path back to the active roster
Brown has been out for the past four games. He suffered a high-ankle sprain in the season opener, a 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and caught three passes for 26 yards before leaving the game, Sports Illustrated reported. The Patriots opened his 21-day practice window on Wednesday, which gives the team three weeks to decide whether to activate him. If it does not, Brown would return to injured reserve and his season would end.
Vrabel said he would “see how that goes” before deciding whether Brown plays Sunday. Veteran safety Kevin Byard called the news a “huge boost,” ESPN reported. Byard said Brown adds another dimension to a passing game that has played well over the past two weeks, a stretch in which the offense has looked far more productive than it did after Brown’s injury.
Other roster moves
Offensive tackle Marcus Bryant, a second-year player who was placed on injured reserve during the preseason, will also begin his 21-day practice window. His return adds depth on the offensive line. NBC Sports reported that cornerback Carlton Davis, who is dealing with a neck injury, is not expected to practice Wednesday.
The receiver group has been thin. Only four wide receivers were active against the Raiders after Mack Hollins was placed on injured reserve, and the team declined to elevate three players from the practice squad, Sports Illustrated reported. Vrabel indicated that injured reserve moves for running back TreVeyon Henderson and tackle Will Campbell, which would sideline each for four games, are expected to be decided by the weekend.
For now, Gonzalez’s return is expected to strengthen a secondary that has been without him for two weeks, and Brown’s availability will depend on how he handles practice this week. Sports Illustrated reported that it remains unclear how much Brown will affect the offense right away after missing the last four games. The Patriots must make a decision on Brown’s roster spot within the next three weeks, and the injured reserve decisions on Henderson and Campbell are expected by the weekend.
