Patriots hope for better health

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots appear to be getting healthier as they head toward Sunday’s home game against the Houston Texans.

Dont’a Hightower (knee) and Danny Amendola (concussion, knee), who both missed Sunday’s win at New Orleans, and Philip Dorsett (knee), Chris Hogan (knee) and Eric Rowe (groin) — injured against the Saints — were all back at practice Wednesday.

Rob Gronkowski, who had a groin injury Sunday, was spotted at practice but listed as not participating. On Monday, he said he was “day to day” and that he didn’t think his injury was serious.

Rex Burkhead (ribs) and offensive tackle Marcus Cannon (ankle/concussion) were also out. But Amendola, Dorsett and Hogan were all among the nine players who had “limited participation,” a positive sign for a wide receiver group that lost Julian Edelman for the season and Malcolm Mitchell for several weeks.

“It was awesome,” Brandin Cooks said when asked about seeing his fellow receivers on the practice field.

Cooks, Dorsett and Hogan were the only three wide receivers dressed in Sunday’s win. Cooks and Dorsett were playing just their second game with the Patriots.

“Injuries really challenge every football team at some point in the year,” Tom Brady said. “Your depth is really challenged — offensively, defensively, special teams — at some point a lot of guys are called into action, whether it’s guys from the practice squad, or guys you bring off the street or during a game or over the course of time.

“We’ve been challenged early and hopefully we can use it as a positive in some ways, that other guys may get a lot of reps early in the year and then when guys can get back we can have more depth — I think that’s the only positive way to look at those things.”

NOTES: Houston’s J.J. Watt said Brady had donated $100,000 and Belichick $50,000 to Watt’s Hurricane Harvey relief effort. “I think everybody was pretty touched by what happened,” Brady said. “I have a lot friends down there. I’d rather not comment too much, other than a lot of people need a lot of help.”