The New England Patriots opened Week 3 prep on Wednesday with cornerback Christian Gonzalez back on the practice fields for the first time since injuring his hamstring on July 28.

Sidelined for the last seven weeks, the second-team All-Pro said he was “excited” to finally return to the field.

“It’s been tough having to watch, but I’m excited to get out there and run around and get back to playing ball,” Gonzalez said at his locker Wednesday.

Physically, Gonzalez said he feels “good,” though he would not indicate whether he experienced any setbacks during the recovery period.

“It’s been hard. It’s been tough,” he said. “But, it’s part of football. Everything in football is tough. It’s going to test you physically, it’s going to test you mentally, so it’s just part of it.”

Without Gonza

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