The New England Patriots got a major boost today with Aqib Talib and Danny Amendola both returning to practice Wednesday. Both players missed last Sunday's game against the New York Jets, and while neither player is guaranteed to start against Miami on Sunday, practicing in full pads means both have a legitimate chance to play.
Talib was badly missed against the Jets, who passed for 206 yards against a depleted Patriots secondary. Just one week earlier, Talib held Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints to zero catches, but was diagnosed with a hip flexor after the game. If he looks good in practice Thursday and Friday, he should play Sunday.
Amendola was on the wrong end of a helmet-to-helmet collision against New Orleans, and the concussion he suffered has held him out since. His return to the practice field is positive, but he won't play unless he can pass the NFL's concussion tests leading up to the game.
At this point, we'd say Talib has a 75% chance of playing against Miami, while Amendola has about a 55% chance of playing. New England continues to aggressively pursue a trade for another elite receiver, but there's almost no chance of a move before Sunday's game.
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