Jonnu Smith Injury: Patriots Tight End Present But Inactive At Minicamp

An apparent hamstring injury was enough to keep New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith from practicing Tuesday, but the high-priced free agent signing was still in attendance for Day 2 of minicamp.

Smith was on the field Tuesday but simply observing practice after appearing to injure his left hamstring midway through Monday’s practice. Smith skipped voluntary organized team activities and first practiced in front of reporters Monday.

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, linebackers Ra’Shod Berry, Chase Winovich and Terez Hall and defensive tackle Byron Cowart all were absent from Tuesday’s practice session.

“Like a lot of guys, we take a look at them before practice or in our early part of practice and see how they’re doing,” Belichick said Tuesday about potential absentees. “So yeah, we probably have six to 10 guys that fall somewhere in that category and we’ll just take it day by day.”

That same list of players — Gilmore, Berry, Winovich, Hall and Cowart — also weren’t spotted Monday at Day 1 of minicamp. Gilmore is holding out for a raise after the Patriots gave him a pay increase last year by simply borrowing from his 2021 salary. He’s set to earn just a $7 million salary this season after $4.5 million was advanced to him before the 2020 season.

“I don’t expect him to be here, and we’ll just focus on the guys that are here,” Belichick said about Gilmore on Tuesday.

Hall and Cowart have yet to practice in front of reporters this spring. Winovich and Berry have been in attendance for some of the spring sessions.