No more time for training camp and preseason, it’s time to get the regular season rolling. In just ten days, the New England Patriots will finally kick off regular-season action against the Raiders.

While the team will use the next week to prepare for the game, they’re still without their lockdown corner, Christian Gonzalez, who’s now been absent from practice for one month.

Patriots News: Christian Gonzalez Still Sidelined

Patriots’ fans’ excitement for the upcoming season was put to a halt when Christian Gonzalez went down with a left hamstring injury just a few days into training camp. It’s been a month since Gonzalez suffered the injury, and he hasn’t practiced since.

Although Gonzalez has been working on getting back to the field, there’s no timeline for his return, as Mike Vrabel refuses to give any update on Gonzalez’s status. While this raises concerns about Gonzalez’s availability for their Week 1 game, the Patriots are taking the right approach by being patient with him, given his injury history and the potential consequences of rushing a player back.

But with Gonzalez still out, the Patriots have been forced to take action. Yesterday, the team claimed cornerback Charles Woods off of waivers. Woods, 25, spent the past season with the Rams, recording two tackles in 12 games, receiving a 65.3 coverage grade, per PFF.

Even though Woods bolsters the Patriots’ depth at corner, they still need another addition. Cameron Sutton and Corey Ballentine are two names they could add in free agency, or they can bring up Brandon Crossley or Kobee Minor from their practice squad.

Hopefully, Gonzalez can return in the near future, but because it’s a hamstring injury, the Patriots must remain patient with Gonzalez.