Though NFL teams are still 14 weeks away from Week 1 of the 2015 regular season, plenty are already dealing with injuries.
That group includes the Patriots, who have a handful of players who underwent offseason surgeries -- Sebastian Vollmer (shoulder), Ryan Wendell (shoulder), Chris Jones (calf), Dont'a Hightower (shoulder) -- and one, Jerod Mayo (knee), who's still recovering from an injury suffered last year.
But on Friday it was revealed that two of New England's first-half opponents had rookies suffer injuries that could put those players even further behind as they get adjusted to the professional ranks.
According to Pro Football Talk, Dolphins rookie first-round receiver DeVante Parker had foot surgery on Friday morning. He's expected to be ready to play Week 1, but it's unclear how Parker suffered the injury or how much he'll be participate in training camp or the preseason.
Down in Jacksonville, two of the team's top rookies have suffered serious injuries. Last month, it was first-rounder Dante Fowler Jr. who tore his ACL during rookie minicamp. On Thursday, safety James Sample broke his arm. The team announced that he had surgery on Friday morning, but he could return to the field at some point during training camp, according to the Florida-Times Union.
For the Dolphins and Jaguars, Friday's developments not only reinforce the fact that managing the overall health of a given roster is a year-round endeavor -- even when players are wearing shorts and t-shirts in the spring -- it also serves as a reminder that rookies need to make the most of their healthy practice repetitions while they can because any injury suffered could make an already difficult learning curve even tougher.
With Parker and Sample's surgeries as a jumping-off point, and with some help from Rotoworld, here is a quick roundup of some of the injuries with which Patriots first-half opponents are currently dealing.
New England Patriots
Steelers: None.
Bills: Corner Leodis McKelvin (ankle, expected to be ready for training camp); receiver Sammy Watkins (hip, expected to be ready for training camp).
Jaguars: Outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. (torn ACL, out for the season); safety James Sample (fractured arm, questionable for training camp); receiver Marqise Lee (knee, week-to-week); defensive back Josh Evans (shoulder, expected to be ready for training camp); center Stefen Wisniewski (shoulder, expected to be ready for training camp); defensive lineman Sen'Derrick Marks (knee, questionable for Week 1).
Cowboys: Linebacker Rolondo McClain (knee, expected to be ready for camp); corner Morris Claiborne (knee, questionable for training camp).
Colts: Guard Todd Herremans (biceps, expected to be ready for training camp); tackle Gosder Cherilus (knee, questionable for training camp); outside linebacker Robert Mathis (achilles, questionable for Week 1); guard Donald Thomas (leg, could be ready for training camp); Vick Ballard (achilles, expected to be ready for training camp).
Jets: Running back Stevan Ridley (knee, questionable for training camp); defensive back Marcus Gilchrist (shoulder, expected to be ready for training camp); guard Brian Winters (knee, expected to be ready for training camp); corner Dee Milliner (achilles, questionable for Week 1).
Dolphins: Receiver Devante Parker (foot, expected to be ready for Week 1); kicker Caleb Sturgis (quadriceps, questionable for training camp); defensive back Louis Delmas (knee, expected to be ready for training camp); defensive back Will Davis (knee, expected to be ready for training camp); tackle Branden Albert (knee, questionable for training camp).