Yesterday in the Patriots locker room, there was no indication that Austin Collie had ever been with the Patriots. His locker had been cleaned out entirely – including his name plate – after he'd been released for the second time this season.

However, there was number 10, back on the snowy Gillette Stadium game field with the rest of the Patriots when the team came out for practice Thursday. His return appears to spell bad news, however, for one of New England's rookie wide receivers.

Missing from the practice field for the second day in a row were left guard/co-captain Logan Mankins (left ankle), starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard (knee/shoulder), and rookie receivers Aaron Dobson (left foot) and Josh Boyce (left ankle).

All eight Patriots practice squad players were on the field, meaning to make room for Collie, someone from the 53-man active would have had to be removed. Mathematically, that means one of the missing four would be it, and since Collie's a receiver, it seems to make sense that one of the rookies got designated to injured reserve. There has been no official word from the team, however, on either Collie's re-signing on any subsequent move (as of noontime Thursday).