Finally a Little Positive Patriots Injury News as Prep for Jacksonville Begins

_{For a team in desperate need of positive injury news, the New England Patriots got some on Wednesday as preparations for Sunday’s battle at Jacksonville began.}

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_{Reports from Foxborough on Wednesday had two key Patriots getting back to work.}

_{ESPN’s Mike Reiss noted cornerback Carlton Davis returning to the field in shoulder pads for the first time since the opener against Seattle on Sept. 9.}

_{Davis sat out of the entire practice slate leading up to the victory over the Steelers and then had been listed questionable on the final injury report. He was inactive on Sunday.}

_{Reiss also noted that rookie tight end Eli Raridon, who in his 11 offensive snaps vs. Pittsburgh caught the one pass Drake Maye threw his way for 30 yards, was in gear with the team.}

Mixed news on Raridon

_{Raridon left early on Sunday vs. the Steelers with what the Patriots had termed a thigh injury.}

_{The Notre Dame product played a significant role in the opener, scoring New England’s only touchdown at Seattle.}

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_{All the news was not great, though, as WBZ’s Dan Roche noted that Raridon was not with the full team during the media-attended portion of practice. He was on the conditioning field along with edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones, who also left the Steelers game early with a shoulder problem.}

Davis back just in time

_{If there was a good spot for Davis to miss a game, it was last weekend with the Steelers. Pittsburgh played without its No. 2 receiver Michael Pittman, who is struggling with a foot injury.}

_{That allowed replacement Charles Woods to ease in against rookie Germie Bernard and usual Steelers’ No. 3 Roman Wilson. That tandem managed nine catches for 63 yards with an ancient-looking Aaron Rodgers throwing at a 5.2 yards per attempt rate.}

_{Things get much tougher this week in Jacksonville, which features a quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, who stretches the field with his arm and has proven NFL targets like Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers.}

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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 12:50 PM.