FOXBORO - The New England Patriots opened the week looking thin, and nowhere was that more obvious than at cornerback.
When the team hit the practice field to begin prep for the Las Vegas Raiders, eight players were missing, including four corners. Christian Gonzalez was still out with the shoulder injury that kept him from playing in last week’s win over Buffalo. Carlton Davis, Karon Prunty and Channing Canada also sat out.
Canada had been a late scratch last week after suffering a hamstring injury. Prunty, meanwhile, didn’t seem to suffer an obvious injury during the Patriots’ 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills, though he did walk into the locker room late during media availability while wearing a sleeve on his left leg.
The absences didn’t stop there. New England was also without Rhamondre Stevenson, Mack Hollins, Reggie Gilliam and Morgan Moses. The one notable return came from Christian Barmore, who missed last week because of a shoulder injury.
Gonzalez’s situation is the one to watch most closely. Injuries have followed him throughout his young career, and the Patriots have already had to live without him plenty.
As a rookie in 2023, he missed 13 with a torn labrum before missing one the next season with a concussion. He also dealt with a hamstring injury last summer, which forced him to miss the first three games of the season.
If he sits again this week, it would mark his second straight missed game and his 19th missed game since being drafted.
For a cornerback room already stretched to the limit, the Patriots had only three defensive backs at the position actually practicing. One of them, rookie Al'Zillion Hamilton, had been with the team for less than 24 hours.
The trio on the field was Marcus Jones, Kindle Vildor and Hamilton. Jones remains a fixture.
Vildor, who was elevated to the game day roster last weekend, worked as the CB2. Hamilton, signed Tuesday, took part in his first practice with the team.
The matchup ahead may offer some relief on the outside, since the Raiders are not especially deep at receiver. But Las Vegas does feature a major pass-game presence at tight end in Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, and that matters just as much.
At 3-1, the Raiders have been one of the NFL’s early surprises, and Mike Vrabel said their offense keeps defenses honest with its approach on the ground and through the air.
"The (Raiders) offense really stays committed to what they want to do, which is run the football to find their playmakers," Mike Vrabel said prior to practice. "They've got a great group of big skill players, and I think Kirk (Cousins) has done a great job of understanding when to throw the ball, when to keep the ball down the field and when to get it to guys that are uncovered underneath."
New England’s first injury report of the week is due later today.
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