Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez practiced for the first time since July 28 as he works his way back from a hamstring injury, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe) that Gonzalez could return Patriots’ Week 3 matchup against the Steelers, according to but that would require a rapid ramp-up from an injury that has sidelined him for almost seven weeks.
Earlier in September, Vrabel hinted that the team was hoping for a quicker recovery from Gonzalez, according to Reiss, but he now appears to be trending in the right direction. After Wednesday’s practice, the former first-round pick declined (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) to answer questions about his injury, including one about a potential setback in his rehab process.
Gonzalez’s return would be a major boost to a Patriots secondary that has allowed the most passing yards in the NFL through two weeks. Fellow third-year corner Alex Austin has struggled in both games, allowing a 144.4 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Gonzalez’s game-changing ability to shadow and shut down opposing WR1’s would take significant pressure off of New England’s safeties, especially with a strong start from No. 2 cornerback Carlton Davis.
Gonzalez was likely limited in his return to the practice field, but his status over the next few days will be worth monitoring as the Patriots prepare to host the Steelers.