Patriots Have Full Strength Offensive Line For First Time In Months
Jared Wilson cleared concussion protocol on Friday
The New England Patriots enjoyed extraordinary injury luck for the first three months of the year. Unfortunately, with the latest possible bye on the NFL schedule, Patriots starters began breaking down in November.
The Patriots lost rookie offensive linemen Will Campbell and Jared Wilson in the same game when they beat the Bengals in Cincinnati on Nov. 23.
Wilson’s injury was thought to be less significant at the time, but it was 21 full days before he saw the field again. The very next week, he suffered a concussion on “Sunday Night Football” that kept him sidelined for the final two weeks of the regular season.
Campbell was immediately placed on injured reserve after the Bengals game with an MCL sprain. He returned to practice Week 18 and played 45 snaps in the blowout win over the Miami Dolphins as a tune-up for the playoffs.
Mike Reiss reported Friday that Wilson was a full participant in practice and has cleared the concussion protocol.
Starting center Garrett Bradbury, who missed the last two practices battling the illness that is going around New England’s locker room, was also on the field for the Patriots’ final practice of the week.
With all three healthy heading into Sunday’s wild-card playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers, it will be the first time New England’s starting five offensive linemen have been back together since Week 12.
The Patriots had started the same five linemen in each of the first 12 weeks prior to the string of injuries.
