Sebastian Vollmer, Sealver Siliga return to practice, Justin Jones released (again)

More good news for the Patriots on the injury front, as two notable players returned to practice today after missing time in the past week or so.

Vollmer, a starter at right tackle, missed three straight practices and last week's game against the Panthers with a foot injury. The Boston Globe reported at the time that the injury wasn't considered serious, so it's not that surprising that the big German is back on the field so soon.

It is a little surprising to see Siliga back and without a cast only two weeks after injuring his wrist in joint practices against the Redskins. Initial reports hinted that Siliga could miss significant time, but that was before his injury was diagnosed as merely a sprain rather than a break. He reportedly did rehab work today after stretching with the team at the start of practice.

Siliga could be in line for a key early down role in a defensive line rotation that lost projected starter Tommy Kelly yesterday to the roster crunch. It's likely his improving health played a factor in Kelly's release.

Undrafted rookie linebacker Cameron Gordon was a third player to return to practice after missing time with injury, while defensive tackles Ben Bass, Chris Jones and offensive lineman Chris Martin remained missing. Gordon is considered a long-shot to make the roster.

In other Patriots news, 6'8" undrafted rookie tight end Justin Jones was released for the second time this August. The rookie's size (he big) has caught the attention of fans and media alike, but he is a raw prospect who is a long way from making an impact at the NFL level. If re-signed, Jones could be a candidate for the team's practice squad.