Malcolm Mitchell’s spot on the roster appears safe, but when can the Patriots count on him to play? That’s a question that even they might not be able to answer yet.
Mitchell continues to manage right knee issues, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Mitchell missed practice for a second consecutive day and isn’t expected to play in Friday’s preseason game against Detroit. It creates uncertainty about his availability for the Sept. 7 season opener.
Mitchell, caught six passes for 70 yards in the the Patriots’ Super Bowl comeback, missed all of the spring. He was limited in training camp, spending more time rehabbing than practicing, and missed the preseason opener.
The 2016 fourth-round draft pick returned to team drills Aug. 14, but during 15 snaps in Saturday’s game against Houston when he made two catches for 13 yards, he appeared to tweak his knee. He has missed time since.
The Patriots have plenty of receiver depth with Julian Edelman, Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola as well as special teams captain Matthew Slater, who occasionally takes reps at the position. But Mitchell’s availability remains a “moving target,” as Reiss puts it.