It sounds like Christian Gonzalez made an earnest attempt to get back on the field for the New England Patriots in Week 3, but ultimately, head coach Mike Vrabel decided against it.
Gonzalez has yet to play in a game, and he just returned to practice during Week 3 in his recovery from a hamstring injury suffered in July. Vrabel confirmed he’ll practice again this week, but the head coach also admitted that it was his call to hold out Gonzalez last week against Pittsburgh.
“Again, made a decision — I made a decision — at the end of the week that he needed a little bit more time,” Vrabel told reporters during his weekly midweek press conference. “That’s what happens when you start this return to play, you practice, you work hard and see how you respond. You make a decision if that player is ready for a football game, and we felt like that he probably need a little bit more time.”
Vrabel Makes Call on Gonzalez Injury
Taking the cautious route does make some sense, especially with a soft-tissue injury like a hamstring. Gonzalez hadn’t practiced in almost two months, and it’s probably unwise to expect one or two sessions to be enough for him to return to full-speed, regular-season game action. That’s even more true with an injury like this one where you’d run the risk of reaggravating it.
The Patriots could certainly use him this week and moving forward. New England’s pass defense has been inconsistent at best, with the NFL’s seventh-worst passer rating against. The Carolina Panthers, who come to Gillette Stadium in Week 4, don’t feature an explosive passing attack, but rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan is looking like a star in the making, racking up 27 targets through three weeks, a stretch that already includes a 100-yard performance.
Frustration Mounting With Gonzalez’s Absence?
One thing that is worth monitoring moving forward is how the Patriots and Gonzalez handle the situation — especially when a new contract comes up. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer revealed on NBC Sports Boston that there’s perhaps some frustration from those involved about how the situation has played out.
“There wasn’t a setback, which I think almost makes it worse. … If he misses this game, now we’re at four weeks, which means he’s not just behind schedule for where they thought he’d be in July, he’s behind schedule for where they thought he’d be in September. So, there are some moving parts here. I don’t think there’s a ton of ill will, but I do think there’s some frustration.
” … I think there’s a natural piece to this that comes in the NFL when a player is on the edge of becoming very, very wealthy. Natural questions come up: Are you being careful? Are we being careful? It’s just sort of the price the owners pay for the rules being the way they are. … I think it’d be silly to not look at that as something that would be on the back of everybody’s mind.
Gonzalez himself pushed on the narratives that he doesn’t want to play or is purposely taking it slow, perhaps with an eye on that upcoming contract.
Getting back in the fold as soon as Week 4 and staying in the lineup, especially amid growing injury questions, could go a long way in getting him that next big contract. And it certainly would help the Patriots, too.