FOXBORO — The injury-plagued Patriots will quickly be including recent legs on offense and protection.
Large receiver Kendrick Bourne, linebacker Sione Takitaki and security Marte Mapu all returned to follow Wednesday. Bourne and Takitaki started on the yr on the PUP listing, whereas Mapu was on injured reserve with a designation to return.
Wednesday was Bourne’s first follow since final yr when he tore his ACL in late October. Takitaki took half in organized crew actions however spent all of coaching camp on the PUP listing with a knee damage. Mapu participated early in coaching camp however spent almost the entire summer time in an remark position.
The Patriots can have 21 days to activate Bourne, Takitaki and Mapu, however head coach Jerod Mayo appears to consider they may play as early as Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Dolphins.
“I wouldn’t say it’s unrealistic,” Mayo mentioned Wednesday. “I believe now we have to take a seat right here and see how the following couple of days go. Look, even these guys are at completely different factors so far as, I’m not going to say 100%, 80% and all that stuff, however I might say these guys are at completely different factors. They’ll follow relying on how their physique feels. We’ll undergo our particular person drills, and we’ll take it from there.”
Bourne joins a large receiver corps with DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Okay.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton, Javon Baker and Kayshon Boutte already on the 53-man roster. Takitaki is returning at a superb time with beginning center linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley on injured reserve. And Mapu could possibly be wanted as Kyle Dugger nurses an ankle damage that knocked him out of Sunday’s sport and stored him from training Wednesday.
Dugger was noticed Wednesday afternoon limping within the locker room.
