The Patriots are in Philadelphia for three days of joint practices with the Eagles ahead of Friday night’s preseason opener, but some key players still aren’t out on the field.
Ras-I Dowling and Jermaine Cunningham both missed their fourth straight practices on Tuesday. They were two of 12 Patriots players to miss the practice, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
Along with Dowling and Cunningham, wide receivers Michael Jenkins and Mark Harrison, safety Nate Ebner, guards Marcus Cannon, Dan Connolly, Kevin Haslam and Tyronne Green, defensive lineman Armond Armstead (non-football illness) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (PUP) did not practice on Monday. None of the absences were a great surprise for the Patriots, as each player has missed at least one practice over the course of the last week.
Gronkowski and Armstead aren’t expected to rejoin the team for practice anytime soon. It is likely that neither player — and maybe some of the others — didn’t make the trip to Philly with the team. Meanwhile, Ebner, Connolly, Jenkins and Harrison have been seen at recent practices, working out with trainers or even riding the exercise bike. There is a chance some of those players could return to practice at some point during the next three days.
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