By Alex Barth, 985TheSportsHub.com
A day after having perfect attendance for a walkthrough practice, the Patriots had three players miss practice on Thursday.
Defensive backs Stephon Gilmore, Jonathan Jones, and Terrence Brooks were all absent from Thursday’s rainy session. 17 other players were listed as ‘limited.’
Stephon Gilmore was one of three Patriots players to miss practice today, he’s dealing with a knee injury.
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) November 12, 2020
Meanwhile, it appears the Patriots have some sort of non-COVID bug going around the team. JJ Taylor missed practice with an illness last week, now Jones and Brooks are sick pic.twitter.com/iUoSjo5mGP
Gilmore is still dealing with a knee injury that has cost him his last two games. He practiced twice last week, and took part in the walkthrough on Wednesday, but doesn’t appear to be ready for more strenuous work.
Jones and Brooks were both listed with an illness, which is a bit of a red flag. Rookie running back J.J. Taylor missed all of last week with an ‘illness’ and was still limited on Thursday. It could be a sign the Patriots have some sort of (non-COVID) bug going through the locker room.
Defensive tackle Lawrence Guy is one of the 17 limited players. The Patriots defensive tackle is still working through shoulder, elbow, and knee injuries. Given the Ravens potent rushing attack, he could be a key part of the game plan on Sunday if he is available, so his presence is encouraging.
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Also listed is running back Damien Harris, with both chest and ankle injuries. Harris had been dealing with a sore ankle for a few weeks, then took a big hit at the end of Monday night’s game against the Jets, leading to the chest injury. With Sony Michel now eligible to come off of IR, it’s possible we could see his workload decrease this week in order to give him time to get back into shape.
Kicker Nick Folk remains on the injury report as well with a back issue. The 36-year-old was questionable going into Monday night’s game, but ended up hitting three field goals – including the game winner – in a Player of the Week-level performance.
The team also made a roster move on Thursday, signing 2020 sixth-round pick Cassh Maluia to the practice squad. Maluia was waived by the Patriots on Wednesday. The rookie linebacker appeared in six games this season, all on special teams. To open up a spot, the team released quarterback Jake Dolegala.
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Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at Alexander.Barth@bbgi.com.