After winning their second preseason game against the Vikings this past weekend, the Patriots have a quick turnaround going into their final game of the offseason. They take on the Giants on Thursday, which will give them a sneak peek at what's to come against one of their 2025 opponents.
It will be the final time Mike Vrabel and Co. get a good look at what they have with their roster, and it should help make some tough decisions about who should make the final 53. Unfortunately, that won't include a handful of players, as some will remain off the practice field, while others are being added to the growing list.
Vrabel said as such while speaking to reporters on Monday morning before practice, revealing that cornerback Christian Gonzalez and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne will not be participating this week. But things got worse when he then shared that others, including WRs Efton Chism and Kyle Williams, along with defensive tackle Isaiah Iton would be absent as well.
Mike Vrabel says not to expect CB Christian Gonzalez or WR Kendrick Bourne this week either https://t.co/DfE3ado9gP
— Sophie Weller (@sophieewellerr) August 18, 2025
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It's terrible timing for the wide receivers in particular, as both had strong showings this summer, with Chism quickly becoming a superstar over the last few months, especially with his preseason performance.
Then there's the news about Iton, who had a growing role with the Patriots defense, only for his season to end before it could even begin.
The Patriots continue to be hit with the injury bug just weeks before the start of the 2025 season
It's not unusual for a team to deal with injuries during the preseason, but the list of Patriots players needing time away to deal with injuries is starting to become uncomfortably long.
With just one preseason game left to be played this week, they need to have a good look at what their roster is capable of, with a serious focus on the most competitive positions, which include wide receiver. Perhaps this could mean that someone like Chism has already locked up a spot on the roster, but given that he's a rookie and went undrafted, that's far from certain.
Fortunately, he's proven to be an explosive and reliable option, so he should be safe, and hopefully, whatever injury he is dealing with isn't too serious. The same can be hoped with Williams, who left the game against the Vikings early after appearing to take a hit to the head.
The defensive line also gets hit with an injury to Iton, who has shown a lot of promise over the last few weeks. The Patriots announced that he will be placed on injured reserve, thereby ending his rookie season and creating a hole on the depth chart not long before the season begins.
For Bourne and Gonzalez, the belief is that they are remaining away as a precaution, even if the wide receiver has appeared far from a lock to make the roster.
Hopefully, we'll get some positive updates about all involved sooner rather than later.