Patriots gridiron news: Rob Gronkowski addresses Ramsey & other Week 2 notes
Rex Burkhead in concussion protocol
Suddenly the team’s deepest position entering the season is one of its weakest. Just days after placing running back Jeremy Hill on injured reserve with a torn right ACL, the New England Patriots are now in jeopardy of losing another running back for an extended period of time.
According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, versatile running back Rex Burkhead missed practice Wednesday and is now in concussion protocol. That now makes his availability for Sunday’s matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars highly in doubt.
That is not the kind of news the team needed at this point and will put even more emphasis on the status of rookie running back Sony Michel. The first-round pick out of the University of Georgia has yet to see the field in live action but is doing everything he can to prepare himself when called upon.
If the team is without both Burkhead and Michel, they will enter Sunday’s game with James White and recently signed Kenjon Barner as their running backs. The New England Patriots could also promote either undrafted rookie Ralph Webb or Kenneth Farrow from the practice squad to provide depth.
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Hopefully, either Rex Burkhead or Sony Michel will be able to go versus a stout Jacksonville defense. Both players can catch the ball out of the backfield and would keep the Jags off balance as they are able to both serve as lead backs with the ability to catch the ball in the open field.