Patriots TE Gronkowski not certain Week 1

The NFL has done away with the “probable” designation for this season, making injury reports more hard to decipher.

Also limited in Wednesday’s Patriots practice were linebacker Shea McClellin (shoulder), offensive linemen Nate Solder (hamstring), Jonathan Cooper (foot) and Shaq Mason (hand), wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell (elbow), and defensive end Trey Flowers (shoulder).

The New England Patriots will not only enter the 2016-17 National Football League season without Tom Brady, they may have to go without top National Football League tight end Rob Gronkowski. Because the Patriots traveled early, Gronkowski and his teammates could be receiving additional treatment before heading out west.

While the Patriots will play with Jimmy Garoppolo a the quarterback position, the team would likely find a way to have another option for Gronkowski.

Gronkowski has been dealing with a hamstring issue all of camp that had caused him to miss the Patriots preseason.

It is expected that once Tom Brady and Rob Ninkovich return from suspension, they too will be named captains. Meanwhile, Hightower was one of the team’s two first-round picks in 2012 and has developed into one of the NFL’s most physical linebackers. Gronkowski says he’s not 100%. He was a feature player on the Bears offense the last three seasons.

Bennett is now projected to catch 4 passes, 35 yards and 0.22 touchdowns versus Arizona.