Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez returned to practice on Monday.
Patriots rookie TE Aaron Hernandez, who missed the past two weeks with an undisclosed injury, returned to practice on Monday.
The former Florida wideout missed the team’s final two games after leading the team in targets and receptions in the first half of the preseason. Hernandez, who was able to run some endzone routes with QB Tom Brady last week, participate fully in yesterday’s practice, according to the Boston Globe.
Monday also saw the Patriots without RB Laurence Maroney again. The 25-year-old has sporadically missed time this preseason, seeing limited action in the team’s first three games. He played significant minutes in the team’s final tuneup last week, finishing with 9 carries for 32 yards, but was a no-show on the practice field.
The reason for his absence has been a mystery, but a separate report from the Boston Globe claimed Maroney has been battling through abdominal, groin, and ankle injuries all offseason. There is no word whether the 5-year vet will be ready for Week 1, but with RB Fred Taylor set to start, it shouldn’t be a major concern for the team either way.
New England opens their season against the Bengals on Sept. 12.