FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski returned to the practice field Friday after sitting out the previous day’s session with ankle and back injuries.
Gronkowski’s presence at practice boosted the chances of him playing in Sunday night’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium. He sat out the Patriots’ Week 7 win over the Chicago Bears but returned to play 68 offensive snaps (89.5 percent) in Monday’s victory over the Buffalo Bills.
One player not expected to suit up Sunday is right guard Shaq Mason, who missed his third straight practice Friday after leaving Monday’s game with a calf injury. Reserve offensive lineman Ted Karras is likely to start in Mason’s stead against a Packers team that boasts one of the NFL’s top defensive tackle duos in Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark.
O-lineman Brian Schwenke (foot) and linebacker Nicholas Grigsby (illness) also were not spotted at the start of Friday’s practice.
The 11 players who were limited Thursday — wide receivers Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon, running back Sony Michel, offensive tackles Trent Brown and Marcus Cannon, defensive ends John Simon and Geneo Grissom, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, tight end Jacob Hollister, punter Ryan Allen and long snapper Joe Cardona — all were present at the team’s final practice of the week.
