Dominique Easley has made his way back to game action. The Patriots’ first round selection is expected to play for the Patriots week 1, according to a Boston Herald source.
Via the Boston Herald:
"There is a strong belief defensive lineman Dominique Easley will make his debut in the regular-season opener, according to a source. That notion was furthered today when Easley wasn’t listed on the injury report after sitting out the entire preseason to recover from a torn ACL in his right knee. Easley opened training camp on the non-football injury list because he suffered the injury during a September practice for the University of Florida, and he made his practice debut Aug. 11."
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Easley was regarded as a Top 10 talent in the 2014 NFL Draft. However, his injury concerns were so great that he fell to the Patriots at 29. He must be something special, because the Patriots actually used their first round selection — as opposed to trading out of it — and selected him. The former Florida Gator is expected to have a big impact on the Patriots’ offensive line. They released veteran Tommy Kelly during preseason, which indicated that the team will rely heavily on their youngsters — Easley included.
If he does play, then he likely won’t see a large number of reps. He will probably have to ease into game action, as he has two surgically repaired knees. He also saw no preseason action. The Patriots will likely wait to make the final call until game time. But as he went unlisted on the injury report, things look good for the young star.