The Patriots may be coming into Sunday’s matchup with the Jets in better shape than they’ve been for much of the early season, and Christian Gonzalez appears to be trending the right way.
New England is 3-2 after beating the Las Vegas Raiders at home over the weekend, and the team has stacked up two straight wins even without Gonzalez on the field. That’s been a notable absence, given that the cornerback signed a lucrative new contract with the Patriots shortly before the season started.
On Wednesday, Mike Vrabel gave the first encouraging sign that Gonzalez might be close to returning. “(Gonzalez will) … try to do some stuff today. We’ll see how that goes,” Vrabel said during practice, per NFL insider Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network on X, formerly Twitter.
Gonzalez also sounded ready to get back in the mix. He said he is “Ready to go for Sunday,” per Mike Reiss of ESPN on X.
The Patriots’ recent success has come in spite of Gonzalez’s absence, including the road win over the Buffalo Bills after the team had fallen to 1-2 with him in the lineup. That’s made his possible return even more welcome as New England tries to keep rolling.
There was more good news on the injury front Wednesday as well. Garafolo reported on X that “The #Patriots are opening the practice window for A.J. Brown, Mike Vrabel said,” giving the team another potential boost.
Brown has been sidelined since the first half of the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and his return could help quarterback Drake Maye settle in and build on what has been a shaky start to the year.
The Patriots and Jets are set to meet Sunday at 1:00 pm ET.
In Other News...
Patriots Win Still Exposed A Secondary Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The Patriots 45-17 win over the Raiders looked convincing on the scoreboard, but it also highlighted a familiar problem in the defensive backfield. Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers kept finding room against New Englands smaller defensive backs, using his size to create mismatches and finishing with a productive afternoon that underscored why the matchup was such a concern.
New England does have options if it wants to get bigger on the back end, and the conversation now turns to possible help at cornerback and beyond. Free agent Jeff Okudah and Chiefs cornerback Kristian Fulton are among the names to watch, while practice squad options like Elliott Davison and Alzillion Hamilton also give the Patriots some internal choices as they try to address a weakness that showed up even in a lopsided win. [Read more 🡒]
A.J. Browns Return Looks Even Better For Patriots Fans
A.J. Browns move to New England before the 2026 season already looked like a major addition when the Patriots brought him in, and it has only become easier to see why since then. Brown has settled into the offense smoothly, giving the Patriots the kind of established playmaker they wanted, while the conversation around the deal has only grown louder as fans and analysts continue to weigh what it means for both sides.
The contrast has been hard to miss, because the Patriots have reason to feel good about how the trade has worked out for them. Philadelphia, meanwhile, has been dealing with injuries, coaching questions and a losing record, which has made the optics of the swap look even better from New Englands perspective and kept the trade among the more talked-about moves of the young season. [Read more 🡒]
Romeo Doubs Is Giving Patriots Fans A Very Familiar Debate
Romeo Doubs has wasted little time becoming one of the more interesting names in New Englands passing game, and not always for the cleanest reasons. In his first month with the Patriots, he has flashed the kind of versatility that made the team believe he could matter right away, while also turning in stretches that have left fans wanting more from a player tied to bigger expectations.
With A.J. Brown sidelined, Doubs has been asked to handle a larger workload than the Patriots probably planned on this early, which has only sharpened the scrutiny around his play. The upside is still obvious, and his role could look different once Brown is back, but for now Doubs is in that familiar New England spot where promise, pressure and patience all seem to be colliding at once. [Read more 🡒]