The Patriots secondary will have to endure life without Christian Gonzalez for at least one more game.
Originally given the questionable designation on Friday, the star cornerback was downgraded to out on Saturday afternoon. He won’t return against the Steelers on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
Gonzalez has been dealing with a hamstring injury that he suffered in late July and only returned to practice this week. He was limited in all three sessions, which Mike Vrabel said “means that he did some work.”
“It was good to see him out there,” Vrabel said. “It’s very good to have him out there, and the more guys we can get out there, the better.”
Gonzalez won’t be back on the field this Sunday, however.
In the Second Team All-Pro’s absence, the Patriots defense has allowed back-to-back 300-yard passing games to Geno Smith and Tua Tagovailoa to open the season, and the task won’t get any easier this weekend with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers coming to Foxborough.
With Gonzalez out, it’ll likely be a rotation of Marcus Jones and Alex Austin opposite Carlton Davis once again.
Rodgers has plenty of tough-to-defend weapons at his disposal too, with tight ends Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and wideout D.K. Metcalf, among others.
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