Patriots Get Encouraging Sign Before Jets But Secondary Concerns Remain

As the Patriots and Jets prepare for their upcoming clash, key players return to practice while injury woes continue to impact both rosters.

As New England built toward Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET meeting with the Jets at Gillette Stadium, the biggest injury development came in the secondary: Christian Gonzalez moved all the way up to full participation.

The extended All-Pro had been limited earlier in the week, but Thursday’s practice marked a step forward after he had already missed back-to-back games because of a shoulder injury suffered in September. On the other side of the injury report, quarterback Drake Maye was also listed as a full participant, continuing a run that has seen his throwing shoulder appear on the report for the past three weeks without any game designation following.

Maye’s status comes after a massive stretch of play. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his upset performance against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium, then followed it up by completing 26-of-34 passes for 374 yards last Sunday at Gillette Stadium while accounting for five total touchdowns.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, had eight tackles and five passes defensed before missing the first games of October, and Thursday’s full workload puts him on track to return.

The Patriots did not get the same good news everywhere else. Carlton Davis III and Karon Prunty remained out, with neck and hamstring injuries keeping the veteran and rookie sidelined again.

Davis and Prunty had already missed five straight practices, leaving New England thin at cornerback after the team had been down four corners last weekend. Kindle Vildor was elevated from the practice squad to help patch the depth chart.

New England also added a third absence in defensive tackle Cory Durden, who missed Thursday because of illness. Durden has played 47.8 percent of the defensive snaps through the Patriots’ 3-2 start, has started every game, and has totaled seven tackles and one quarterback hit since arriving in 2025 and quickly moving from the practice squad to the active roster.

The Patriots listed 12 players as limited participants Thursday. That group included TreVeyon Henderson, A.J. Brown, Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Marcus Bryant, Dre’Mont Jones, Christian Elliss, Marcus Jones, Charles Woods, Channing Canada, Kevin Byard III and Craig Woodson.

Campbell and Henderson were both downgraded from questionable to out after leaving in the second quarter against the Raiders. Campbell, the former No. 4 overall pick, is reportedly week-to-week with a knee injury, and Caleb Lomu stepped in at left tackle. Henderson, the former No. 38 overall pick, is dealing with a high ankle sprain that brought Corey Kiner up a backfield rung behind Rhamondre Stevenson.

The Jets had four players not participate: Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell, Dylan Parham and Joseph Ossai.

Three Jets were limited, too: Omar Cooper Jr., Kenyon Sadiq and Dane Belton.

New England also has the 21-day practice windows open for two players on injured reserve: Gonzalez and Maye. Another IR window belongs to Jets linebacker Kiko Mauigoa, who was listed on Thursday as limited with a quad injury.

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