The New England Patriots could benefit from their matchup with the Denver Broncos being moved from Week 5 to Week 6, as the schedule change allowed extra time for quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore to recover from COVID-19.
Newton reportedly is expected to practice Thursday, putting him on track to play Sunday against the Broncos, and the Patriots reportedly are "hopeful" Gilmore will, too.
The Broncos, meanwhile, received good news of their own Wednesday when quarterback Drew Lock was a full participant at practice for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury in Week 2.
Broncos head coach Vic Fangio wouldn't commit to Lock as the starter for Sunday's game at Gillette Stadium, leaving open the door for Brett Rypien to start against New England. But Lock appears to be trending in the right direction, with the 23-year-old's comments suggesting he expects to be under center against the Patriots after missing the Broncos' last two games.
"I am ready for the first hit, just to get it out of there, let it happen, let everyone hold their breath for a couple seconds and when I get up everything is just fine," Lock told reporters Wednesday, per ESPN.com. " ... I'm excited to get back out there."
Lock, a second-round pick in 2019, completed 23 of 38 passes for one touchdown with no interceptions before going down in the first quarter of Week 2. The Broncos, who went 1-1 in Lock's absence, have high hopes for the second-year QB, so his return certainly would be a welcome sight.
If Lock starts, it's possible he'll do so without Denver's leading rusher, as the Broncos aren't sure about Melvin Gordon's status for Sunday's game following a DUI arrest late Tuesday night.
