FOXBORO - The Patriots’ Wednesday injury report brought a little of everything: two veterans trending back toward the lineup, three notable absences, and a clearer picture of how New England is handling the stretch leading into Green Bay.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown, running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive tackle Christian Barmore were all held out of practice, head coach Mike Vrabel said. At the same time, wide receiver Mack Hollins and offensive guard Greg Van Roten were set to begin their 21-day windows to return from injured reserve.
Vrabel brushed off any notion that the trade deadline is changing the team’s approach.
"We’re focused on trying to prepare for Green Bay and make the corrections from the game," Vrabel said. "This is business as normal here."
Hollins and Van Roten were both seen during the media viewing period, and later in the day the Patriots released their first injury report of the week. In Wisconsin, the Packers also put out their report, which included the return of one of the NFL’s top defensive players.
Brown and Henderson both missed last week’s win in Miami. Brown has been dealing with an ankle injury from Week 1 along with a knee issue that has lingered for years.
"My concern is about trying to prepare for the Packers," Vrabel said when asked about if he’s concerned about Brown’s knee. "That’s really my only concern. ... Certainly the health of the team is critical, but we have to make sure that the guys that are practicing are preparing for Green Bay."
Henderson has been out with an illness that has kept him out for several days. With the deadline approaching and his name circulating in rumors, Vrabel made it clear the issue is real.
"It’s serious (enough) that he won’t be available today," Vrabel said bluntly.
Without Henderson, the Patriots leaned on Rhamondre Stevenson, Corey Kiner, Lan Larison and Terrell Jennings in the backfield against Miami. Larison was signed to the 53-man roster on Saturday, while Jennings rejoined the practice squad on Monday.
New England was also without starting tight end Hunter Henry, who injured his foot against the Dolphins.
The return process for Hollins and Van Roten matters because of how the NFL’s injured reserve rules work. Teams can activate eight players from IR during the regular season, and before Wednesday the Patriots had used only two of those spots on Brown and offensive tackle Marcus Bryant. Hollins and Van Roten are next in line, and each can be activated as soon as this week.
They do not count against the 53-man roster while their 21-day windows are open, but the Patriots must activate them within that span or their seasons are over. Vrabel said the priority right now is simply getting them back on the field.
"We just want to get guys out there to practice," he said. "There’s only so much that the trainers and strength coaches can do with them. So hopefully we can work those guys back in and see where they are here as we work through the week."
Hollins should slide back into the offense without much trouble, especially with New England having dealt with a string of injuries at receiver. In Miami, the Patriots had only four active wideouts, and one of them was Ryan Miller, who was up from the practice squad. Once Hollins is ready, he should step right back into a starting role.
"He’s smart and ... he’s easy to throw to and does a lot of things the right way," Drake Maye said of Hollins’ return. "It’s comforting, definitely, having 13 out there and looking forward to seeing whenever he gets a chance."
Van Roten’s situation is less straightforward. Ben Brown and Matt Pryor have handled the guard spots well since Van Roten went down in Week 3, and if he returns, one of them could be pushed back into a reserve role.
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