The New England Patriots will have to deal with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Week 2, and it appears they’ll have to do so without their top cornerback — once again.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel provided another unfortunate update on cornerback Christian Gonzalez and his ailing hamstring. According to Vrabel, Gonzalez was unlikely to practice on Sept. 10, a decision that puts his status for Week 2 in Miami very much in doubt.
“I don’t think we’ll see him today. Continuing to improve, which is positive and working hard, but I don’t think we’ll see him today on the practice field,” Vrabel said in his pre-practice press conference. “(Gonzalez is) just working hard, keeps improving, staying engaged and still preparing as a starter and asking questions in meetings and all of those things. That’s where we’re at today.”
Patriots Looking at Another Week Without Christian Gonzalez
Typically, if a player doesn’t practice Wednesday, usually the most important day of practice, it doesn’t bode well for their chances of playing in the game.
If Gonzalez can’t go, it will mark the second straight week he doesn’t play. Gonzalez injured his hamstring early in training camp and didn’t return to the field. He didn’t play in any of the Patriots‘ preseason games and hasn’t been a factor in practice up until this point.
Gonzalez might not be the only noticeable absence for the Patriots in Miami, either. Vrabel also revealed defensive coordinator Terrell Williams will be away from the team for “at least a few days” as he deals with a presumed medical issue of his own.
Dolphins Could Present Challenges to Gonzalez-Less Patriots
The Dolphins present a formidable test regardless of whether Gonzalez is in the lineup. Miami was a downright disaster in its Week 1 contest, losing 33-8 to the Indianapolis Colts. Still, an offense that features a seemingly healthy Tua Tagovailoa distributing the ball to Hill and Waddle has the potential to terrorize opposing offenses.
The Dolphins have their own issues, but a Gonzalez-less Patriots defense should look like a get-right game. A week ago, Geno Smith led a lesser stable of receivers into Foxboro, Mass., and put up more than 360 passing yards.
The Patriots built their defense to play a lot of man coverage, with Gonzalez against one wide receiver and high-priced free-agent addition Carlton Davis against the other,” Patriots beat writer Chad Graff wrote for The Athletic ahead of Week 1. “Without Gonzalez, however, the Pats may have to change plans.”
Now, looking at a second straight week without the former first-round pick, that gets even trickier, especially without the defensive coordinator in the mix.
The longer this lingers the louder the questions about Gonzalez’s durability will become. NFL insider Albert Breer recently reiterated the pre-draft concerns about Gonzalez. Clearly, the Patriots felt OK about those questions and used a first-round pick on him. However, after a shoulder injury ended his season after just a few games, there’s an increasing amount of evidence about whether Gonzalez can stay healthy at the NFL level.
Patriots Give Frustrating Christian Gonzalez Update Ahead of Week 2