FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots fans are ecstatic over wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell’s return to the practice field, but head coach Bill Belichick did his best to temper expectations Friday morning.

Mitchell, who’s been out since September and hasn’t played a single game this season, practiced Wednesday and Thursday. He could return as early as the Patriots’ Week 17 game Sunday against the New York Jets.

“It’s been a long road,” Belichick said. “We’ll see how it goes. It’s been a long time since he’s played football. Good to see him back out there, see how he progresses.”

It could take a while for Mitchell to get up to game speed since he’s starting over in cold, non-padded practices rather than in the intensity of a six-week training camp.

“I think that’s another — a little more of a question mark,” Belichick said. “Just the amount of time. It’s been months. That’s a lot of time to make up in one or two practices.”

The rules behind activating a player off injured reserve are somewhat unclear, so Belichick was asked if the Patriots had to get Mitchell on the practice field during the regular season if they hoped to have him during their playoff run. Belichick only would offer that “we did it based on when the player’s ready.”

When Mitchell is activated, he’ll join a crowded group of wide receivers in Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett and Matthew Slater. Britt or Dorsett could get released for Mitchell, but both players are signed through the 2018 season, so the Patriots might want to see how they would fit into the offense with a full offseason under their belts.

Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images