FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots were down five players Tuesday when they returned to the practice field following their bye week.
Wide receiver Chris Hogan, linebacker Shea McClellin, defensive tackle Malcom Brown and starting offensive tackles Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon all were missing from the session.
Hogan (shoulder) and Cannon (ankle) both left the Patriots’ Week 8 win over the Los Angeles Chargers with injuries, and Brown sat out that game after suffering an ankle injury the previous week. Hogan reportedly is expected to miss “a few weeks” with a sprained AC joint.
McClellin, who had been at every practice since Oct. 18, is eligible to come off injured reserve and play in this Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos if the team deems him healthy enough to do so.
Solder, who has played in all eight games this season, has missed a handful of practices for non-injury reasons.
Cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, who has not played since Week 5, and Eric Rowe, who has been out since Week 4, both were present at practice.
Three players made their Patriots practice debuts: Two defensive linemen wearing Nos. 94 and 96, and rookie offensive tackle Andrew Jelks, who had yet to take part in a single practice since signing with New England as an undrafted free agent in May.
Jelks, who missed his final two seasons at Vanderbilt with torn ACLs, has not played since 2014 and has spent all of this season on the non-football injury list.
One of the mystery D-linemen likely was veteran Ricky Jean Francois, who signed with the Patriots on Tuesday, according to a report by ESPN’s Field Yates.
Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
