Patriots get young CB back after five weeks away

FOXBOROUGH — After more than a month on the shelf, Alex Austin was back on the practice field on Wednesday afternoon.

Austin suffered an ankle injury in a Week 3 loss at the Meadowlands and was placed on injured reserve. His return starts a 21-day clock to be added to the active roster, and speaks in the Patriots As he prepared for practice in the locker room, Austin was happy to be back on the field.

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“It feels great, man,” Austin said. “Definitely enthusiastic. I’m just ready to get back out there and have fun. I definitely missed being there with the boys. Ready to contribute to getting this thing going and racking up even more wins.

Largely healthy as a rookie and throughout his college career at Oregon State, dealing with significant injury has been difficult as his team has gone 1-4 over the past five weeks.

“It’s been hard for me personally,” Austin said. “Just someone who doesn’t really miss the training or competitions in my career. Just a mental battle to stay in the film room and just stay with the guys and push them as much as possible.

“It’s just an uphill battle every day,” Austin said of the rehabilitation process. “Only 1% every day. Being consistent in the rut and knowing that the work you put in will pay off.

So now that he’s healthy again, what does Austin hope he can bring to the Patriots defense?

“My energy and my versatility,” Austin said. “Ready to get back out there and just bring my attitude to the game.”