New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots are putting the finishing touches on their preparations for their season-opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. As kickoff draws near, though, the team is dealing with a couple of concerning injuries.
Easily the biggest issue the Patriots are dealing with involves star cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who hasn’t practiced this week due to a lingering hamstring injury. At this stage of the game, it seems unlikely Gonzalez will play in Week 1.
On Thursday, Gonzalez was joined by a pair of key offseason additions on the injury report. Rookie first-round offensive lineman Will Campbell was limited due to an ankle injury, while the team’s biggest free agent signing, Milton Williams, was also limited for non-injury related reasons.
Elsewhere on the injury report, undrafted rookie Efton Chism III logged a full practice for the second straight day, while cornerback Charles Woods also practiced fully after being limited on Wednesday.
Campbell and Williams’ appearances on the injury report are concerning, but considering how both practiced fully on Wednesday, it seems like the team is simply being cautious with them. Gonzalez, however, seems to be trending in the wrong direction ahead of Week 1.
The good news is that Woods, who could fill in for Gonzalez if he can’t play, appears to be on track to make his debut with the Patriots. And while concern isn’t exactly high for Campbell and Williams just yet, it will be worth seeing how much they are able to do when the team returns to practice on Friday.
