This has been a roller coaster of a day.
New England Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell returned to the practice field this Monday, just four days after dislocating his elbow in a scary moment against the Saints. While Mitchell did not participate in full practice, he was on the field for warm ups and joined a few nicked up players for conditioning on the side of the field.
It’s important that Mitchell see as much time with the team as possible because he was developing as one of the most promising young receivers the Patriots have had over the past decade.
On the other end of the spectrum, tight end Rob Gronkowski left practice under his own power after pulling up during a 7-on-7 drill.
Gronkowski pulled up after going after a Brady pass near the sideline. Took his helmet off and pulled himself out of 7-on-7. Leaving now.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 15, 2016
Gronk never went down to the ground. Chatted with Brian Daboll briefly. Met with trainer Jim Whalen after a couple minutes standing around.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 15, 2016
Hopefully this is nothing serious because Gronkowski is the most important non-quarterback on the Patriots roster. New England will move forward with tight end Martellus Bennett, while back-up A.J. Derby should receive more opportunities to prove his value to the team.
Let’s hope that Mitchell and Gronkowski are at 100% by the start of the season.