The Patriots should have tight end Aaron Hernandez and guard Logan Mankins against the Jets this Sunday.
Both players returned to practice on Friday, which likely means their absence on Thursday was maintenance to make sure both players were well enough to play in Week Seven. Hernandez skipped one day of practice last week before making his return from a sprained ankle and scored a touchdown against the Seahawks. The question for this week isn’t whether he will play as much as it is how much he’ll play. If his playing time rises from last week, it will be a good sign that Hernandez is back on track or very close.
Mankins has been dealing with calf and hip injuries and he’ll likely be practicing on a limited basis all season in order to keep him on the field come Sunday. He’s already missed one game this year, so even that might not be enough to keep the team from having to replace Mankins down the road.
Mike Rodak of ESPNBoston.com reported that safety Steve Gregory, running back Brandon Bolden and linebacker Tracy White weren’t seen at practice capping a full week without practice for all three of them.