FOXBORO -- If Patriots tight end Scott Chandler could have it his way, he would be out on the field at all times.
"I think as a football player," he said, "I want to be able to practice and play whenever I can."
Of course the 6-foot-7, 260-pound target signed by the Patriots this offseason is a product of the University of Iowa, a program that was lauded by coach Bill Belichick earlier this week for producing "tough, hard-working, blue collar, dependable, consistent" players.
No surprise then that Chandler is inclined to play if it's at all possible.
Injuries have made that difficult for Chandler thus far this preseason. He suffered a back injury during minicamp that forced him to miss some time, and early in training camp he came down with another undisclosed ailment that kept him out of practices until Tuesday.
While on the field, Chandler's size and his ability to come down with contested catches in the red zone have stood out. He also spent significant chunks of time working on a side field with quarterback Tom Brady and fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski in order to further their on-the-field chemistry.
Meeting with reporters after his first day back on the field with his teammates, Chandler said he wasn't sure if the time he missed would set him back in terms of his development within the Patriots offense.
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"I don't know," he said. "We'll see. I think that there are a lot of days ahead of us, and we have to go out there and take it one rep at a time, one day at a time."
Chandler pointed out that there's still time for him to catch up if he needs to. There are two preseason games and several practices remaining before New England's season-opening game against the Steelers on Sep. 10.
"I think [if] you start thinking about [the opener], you kind of miss what's left for us here in training camp," he said. "We've got two more preseason games and a bunch of practices to get better, and I think that's what we're focused on right now."
As much as he may want to play, the question remains: Will Chandler be available to the Patriots against the Panthers on Friday night?
He is one of several question marks who have shown progress by returning to action this week, but may not have spent enough time back on the field during a short week of practice to warrant their participation in the team's third preseason game.
Like Chandler, offensive lineman Ryan Wendell hinted that he would like to be on the field as well -- "I think every player wants to be on the field every snap . . . I’ve been trying to let Bill get me on defense and special teams . . . I’m sure I’d be terrible at all of 'em, but I do it anyway," he said Wednesday -- but he has practiced only twice since the start of training camp after coming off of the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday.
Running back Travaris Cadet returned to practice on Tuesday as well, and the possibility that he might play in Carolina had not been ruled out by Wednesday.
Receiver Julian Edelman was reportedly limited in practice on Tuesday but appeared to participate in more team drills on Wednesday, which could potentially bode well for his availability on Friday. Receiver Aaron Dobson was also back at practice this week after missing significant time due to injury.
Defensive linemen Rufus johnson and Trey Flowers -- both hurt against the Packers in preseason game No. 1 after impressive performances -- practiced on Tuesday and Wednesday and, potentially could use Friday's game as a way to further establish roles in the Patriots defense if they're healthy enough to play.
Receiver Josh Boyce missed practice on Wednesday, which could mean he's dealing with something physically that would prohibit him from participating against the Panthers.
Among those not expected to play against the Panthers due to their lack of practice time in recent days and weeks are rookie corner Darryl Roberts, offensive linemen Marcus Cannon, Chris Barker and Bryan Stork, defensive lineman Joe Vellano and tight end Jake Bequette. Receiver Brandon LaFell, linebacker Dane Fletcher and defensive lineman Chris Jones all remain on the physically unable to perform list and are not expected to play.
Given all those possible absences, the game with the Panthers could be an opportunity for two new Patriots acquisitions to show what they've learned in a short period of time. It's unclear as to whether or not receiver Reggie Wayne or tackle/tight end Michael Williams will set foot on the field after just a few days with the team, but perhaps the Patriots coaching staff will use the contest to see what the pair has picked up in terms of the basics of the team's offense.
