The New England Patriots were missing four players at Friday’s practice, ahead of their contest against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. That list of names included wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, per NESN.com’s Zack Cox.
This news just adds to what has been a difficult season for the Patriots’ wide receiver room, when it comes to injuries. Smith-Schuster did not play in last week’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. In turn, he was unable to build momentum from the previous game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he caught four passes for 90 yards.
Smith-Schuster has had an up-and-down season. All told, he has recorded 29 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown on the year. The lone touchdown came against the Miami Dolphins back in October.
Three other Patriots players were absent from the entirety of this week’s practices. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson, safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) and offensive tackle Conor McDermott (head) also did not practice on Friday.
The Patriots look to secure a win over the Broncos for the first time since 2017 on Christmas Eve. Kickoff is set for Sunday night at 8:15 p.m ET.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]