FOXBORO — Patriots top defender Christian Gonzalez will join the team this week for joint practices in Minnesota with the Vikings, but don’t expect him to participate.

Gonzalez suffered a hamstring injury late last month during training camp, and the team has been taking it slow with his return the field.

“Before you think I’m being funny, you’ll probably see Christian in Minnesota, you won’t see him on the field probably in a uniform,” head coach Mike Vrabel said Sunday. “See how I did that? You’ll see him in Minnesota, but he probably won’t be practicing this week. Because if I didn’t, then it would be like, ‘Oh, he’s –‘. But anyways, I wanted to clarify that.”

Gonzalez is one of the best cornerbacks in football, so it’s more important for him to be ready Week 1 against the Raiders th

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