FOXBORO -- For the second straight day, wide receiver Wes Welker and offensive linemen Dan Connolly and Logan Mankins were missing from Patriots practice on Thursday. The practice was held in full pads on the lower practice field on a frigid day at Gillette Stadium.
Linebacker Tracy White, who has been nursing a foot injury, was at the beginning of practice but left early before drills began after meeting with trainer Jim Whalen and coach Bill Belichick.
Welker is dealing with an ankle issue, which came about when he turned it late in the game against the Rams in London. Connolly suffered a back injury late in the first half of Sunday's win over the Bills and did not play in the second half. Mankins injured his left ankle on Sunday early in the second half. Donald Thomas and Nick McDonald filled in, repsectively.
After practicing with no number on Wednesday for no apparent reason, Stevan Ridley was back in his traditional white practice jersey on Thursday, with the No. 22 on the front and back. The Patriots will practice again on Friday before holding a walkthrough on Saturday in advance of their late Sunday afternoon game against Andrew Luck and the Colts at Gillette.
For more, visit the Patriots team page at weei.com/patriots [1] and the blog It Is What It Is [2].
Links:
[1] http://www.weei.com/patriots
[2] http://www.itiswhatitis.weei.com
[3] http://www.weei.com/category/boston/patriots