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Brady, Gronkowski Not Expected To Play In Patriots' Preseason Opener

BOSTON (CBS) -- The New England Patriots kick off their preseason slate on Thursday night, but a handful of their top players aren't expected to see the field.

That includes quarterback Tom Brady, who according to multiple reports will sit out Thursday with Jimmy Garoppolo getting the start under center.

Brady and Garoppolo have been splitting snaps at practice, with Brady getting most of the snaps with the first team. He was reportedly not going to play in last season's preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, but he ended up playing in two series before Garoppolo took over.

Read: What To Watch For In Pats' Preseason Opener

Also not expected to play are tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide receiver Julian Edelman. Gronk hasn't seen preseason action since 2012, and Edelman is coming off an injury scare to his surgically repaired left foot during Tuesday's joint practice with the Saints.

According to ESPN, receiver Chris Hogan is also not expected to play Thursday night. He has worn a no-contact jersey for the last week at practice after suffering a shoulder injury earlier in camp.

Tune in to Thursday's Patriots-Saints preseason game on 98.5 The Sports Hub and WBZ-TV — the flagship stations of the New England Patriots! Pregame coverage begins on 98.5FM at 4:30pm, with a full postgame show following the game. WBZ-TV's pregame coverage kicks off with Patriots GameDay at 7pm, followed by Patriots 5th Quarter after the game!

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