Stephon Gilmore reportedly is back.
The Patriots cornerback is expected to play Sunday afternoon when New England visits the Houston Texans, The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported Saturday evening, citing a source.
Gilmore has missed three games while nursing a knee injury.
Here's Howe's report:
The Patriots essentially are in must-win mode for the rest of the season. As such, it's imperative they have their best players available every week.
That said, Gilmore has not performed as well this season as he did last season when he was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. He needs to be better.
The Patriots and Texans are scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET.
