Plauderecke » The star tight end isnt saying if he expects

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Rob Gronkowski is making steady progress from his forearm and back operations. Now he just has to get back into football condition. The star tight end isnt saying if he expects to play in New Englands opener Sunday at Buffalo, but hes noticeably skinnier after cutting back on his usual workouts while recovering. "Im just rehabbing everything," Gronkowski said Wednesday. "I want to have my whole body strong and just have got to keep on grinding and keep on working on all aspects in order to get back." Gronkowski had back surgery June 18, about a month after the fourth operation on the left forearm he broke last Nov. 18 against the Indianapolis Colts. He had surgery, missed five games, then returned for the regular-season finale. But he rebroke the forearm on Jan. 13 in the AFC divisional round when the Patriots beat the Houston Texans 41-28. Hes had three forearm surgeries since then, and said he hasnt had any setbacks. On Wednesday, he participated on a limited basis in practice. "Do I expect to play on Sunday," he asked. "Im preparing every single day to the max of my ability, preparing every day to (do) the best I can. And when my numbers called, thats when Ill play. "I cant tell you when that will be." He still isnt at full strength. "Its not just the forearm and back, obviously," he said. "When youre taking off a little like that, youve got to get conditioned again. Youve got to get stronger throughout your whole body, your legs, your upper body, your arms. So thats all in play, too. You just cant jump out there just because your arms ready." Being sidelined "was difficult," Gronkowski said. "That doesnt matter anymore. Its irrelevant now. The only thing relevant is moving forward every day." He practiced in full pads on Monday for the first time since his back surgery. How did he look a couple of days later? "Another couple days," coach Bill Belichick said. "Were trying to keep stringing them together, trying to keep heading in the right direction, just trying to keep taking it day by day." There may be no rush to get Gronkowski back since the Patriots first two games are against AFC East opponents who they should beat, the Bills and the New York Jets. Their third game is on Sept. 22 at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When Gronkowski had back surgery, it was reported that the recovery period for a player to return to a game was about 12 weeks. Sundays opener is just two days before that. "It doesnt matter what that says," Gronkowski said. "It just matters how your body feels, how the rehab programs going and how youre progressing every day. So you just look forward to every day." Quarterback Tom Brady had experience playing without Gronkowski last season. "For his first couple of years of his career, he didnt miss anything and then he missed some games last year," Brady said, "Then we kind of went into, OK, this is what were doing without Gronk. And thats the situation weve been in all spring and summer. "Its like he hasnt even been a part of the team. I mean, hes been a part of the team, doing what he needs to do to get ready, but in terms of what our offence was doing, the other guys have to step in and do the job that were asking them to do." Those guys are free-agent rookie Zach Sudfeld, and veterans Michael Hoomanawanui and Matthew Mulligan. Sudfeld spent six years at Nevada, including one as a redshirt freshman and two with a medical redshirt. Gronkowskis surgeries, the arrest of Aaron Hernandez on a murder charge and his own strong preseason gave Sudfeld his chance at tight end. "Hes been teaching me a lot," Sudfeld said. Gronkowski found that amusing. "Oh, man, hes older than me (by 27 days)," Gronkowski said with a laugh. "Hes a hard worker and a good player, so Im looking forward to get out there with him and the rest of the team. Its just going to be a lot of fun." Whenever that is. ---- NOTES: The Patriots made two practice squad moves, adding offensive lineman Josh Kline and releasing linebacker Jeff Tarpinian. ... A knee injury kept offensive lineman Will Svitek out of practice Wednesday. Besides Gronkowski, the other players limited in practice were wide receivers Danny Amendola (groin) and Aaron Dobson (hamstring), safeties Nate Ebner (ankle) and Duron Harmon (hamstring) and running back Brandon Bolden (knee). Discount NBA Jerseys . The International Ice Hockey Federation says Pavlovs avoided a two-year sanction because he acted "without significant negligence in failing to verify the safety of the supplements he was taking. Wholesale NBA Jerseys Free Shipping . The Indians scored twice in the top of the ninth, getting the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by closer Matt Lindstrom. Axford (0-1) came in seeking his fifth save in as many chances. http://www.cheapnbajerseysusa.com/.com) - Kam Chancellor bobbed his head in celebration as he crossed the goal line on his game-clinching 90-yard interception return. NBA Jerseys China .The Hamilton Tiger-Cat defensive back always has the required receipt. But he also walks around with a tangle of metal screws, rods and plates after breaking his neck in 2006 playing high school football in Louisiana. Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys . The 12th-ranked Haas served well throughout the match at the Ibirapuera arena, allowing only one break point to the 152nd-ranked Italian. Both players held serve until the first-set tiebreak, when Haas stepped up his game to easily clinch the set.WESTLAKE, Ohio -- New Zealands Steven Alker won the Cleveland Open on Sunday in the longest playoff in Web.com Tour history, beating South Africas Dawie van der Walt with a birdie on the 11th extra hole. Alker and van der Walt parred for first 10 holes in the playoff at Lakewood Country Club before Alker finally broke through with a 3-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th. "I finally had a right number," the 42-year-old Alker said. "I had 172 yards and just hit a perfect 7-iron. ... I had a lot of chances. I felt like I was inside of Dawie several times and had several chances to win. I got a little bit dizzy out there. At one point, and I cant recall when, Dawie and I looked at each other and I said is Is anybody going to win?" The 11-hole playoff broke the tour record of nine set it 1998 in Eric Bookers victory over Notah Begay III in the Lehigh Valley Open, and matched in 2009 in Gary Christians win over Mathias Gronberg in the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. It also matched the record for the longest playoff in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event, set in the 1949 MMotor City Open when Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum were declared co-winners because of darkness.dddddddddddd Alker bogeyed the final two holes of regulation for a 6-under 65, and van der Walt birdied the last two holes -- holing a 20-footer on 18 -- for a 66. They finished at 14-under 270 on the A.W. Tillinghast-designed course that opened in 1921. "I didnt think I had a chance after the bogey on 16 (in regulation)," van der Walt said. "I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I just played 11 holes and couldnt make another birdie." Alker earned $108,000 to jump from 102nd to 12th on the money list with $125,180. He has four career victories on the tour. "Its very satisfying," said Alker, who successfully qualified for the U.S. Open on Monday in California. "I won last year and then to come out and win again this year is really pleasing since I havent been in the habit of doing that." South Koreas Si Woo Kim was a stroke back after a 65. Jon Curran, Jason Gore, Jeff Curl and Ryan Armour tied for fourth at 11 under. ' ' '