The New England Patriots will be facing the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, and they may be able to get one of their key defenders back for the matchup. Christian Gonzalez hasn't played this season because of a hamstring injury, but he has a good chance to return soon, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
“Sources: Patriots star CB Christian Gonzalez has made ‘good progress' in his hamstring recovery and is likely to make his season debut Sunday vs the Panthers. I’m told Gonzalez was ‘close' in Week 3 and has responded well to the additional work this week, putting him in line to play,” Schultz wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Gonzalez returned to practice last week before their matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was ruled out in hopes that he would be fully recovered for this week.
“I was upset,” Gonzalez said after having to sit last week. “But, I mean, sometimes you gotta look at yourself and make sure you’re all the way ready. Hamstrings are a tough injury. It’s a tough spot.”
An extra week of preparation should mean that Gonzalez is ready to go, and it seems like he could make his season debut against the Panthers.
The hope is that the return of Gonzalez can help the Patriots' secondary, which struggled at times in their loss to the Steelers. Gonzalez is one of the young and upcoming cornerbacks in the league, and his absence has been felt to start the year. The Patriots are currently 1-2 and haven't been consistent on either side of the ball, and they'll be looking to find a rhythm this week.
If Gonzalez can return, the defense will definitely get the boost that it needs. The Patriots may be smart and bring him along slowly on the field, but it'll be good to have him back on the field.
