Christian Gonzalez returns to Patriots practice

The Patriots secondary seems to be on the verge of getting a giant enhance for the Week 3 matchup with Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.

Head coach Mike Vrabel revealed on Wednesday in a press convention that cornerback Christian Gonzalez could be returning to observe for the primary time since sustaining a hamstring damage in training camp in July.

Talking later to reporters, the previous Patriots first-round choose acknowledged that it was tough to be sidelined for extra greater than six weeks.

“Excited to be again on the market,” Gonzalez stated on Wednesday. “I really like soccer. That is what I do, so I imply it’s been very difficult to be out for thus lengthy.”

Gonzalez, 23, was a second-team All-Professional in 2024 and was seen because the crew’s clear option to be the No. 1 cornerback heading into the 2025 season.

But after struggling the hamstring damage on the day of the crew’s first padded observe of coaching camp, the proficient Gonzalez has been ruled out of any severe on-field exercise since. This included the crew’s first two video games of the common season.

Throughout that span, New England surrendered a league-leading 630 passing yards.

Gonzalez will likely be anticipated to assist the Patriots change that statistic. And on condition that New England additionally at the moment leads the league in sacks (with 9), the lanky cornerback might assist the Patriots’ protection grow to be way more efficient and cohesive.

Together with free agent signing Carlton Davis — who the Patriots introduced in through the offseason on a three-year deal value $60 million — Gonzalez will likely be anticipated to lock down opposing groups’ high huge receivers and allow New England to have the ability to play man protection.

“Hopefully we are able to simply play ‘cat’ protection — ‘You’ve bought this cat, I’ve bought this cat.’ And we are able to go to work,” Vrabel said of the Gonzalez-Davis tandem when the latter signed in March.

And whereas he admitted that there will likely be challenges to getting again into the swing of issues with the season already underway, Gonzalez had a easy manner of responding to questions on probably leaping again in for Week 3 in opposition to the Steelers.

“On the finish of the day, it’s soccer.”