Antonio Gates (knee/hip) did not practice Thursday, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Gates (knee/hip) did not practice Thursday, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Analysis:

Per the report, Gates has been "dealing with both ailments for weeks," while suggesting that the hip issue is a result of compensating for the knee injury that the tight end has been playing through. What Gates is able to do at practice Friday will be telling, but for now it's unclear if his absence from practice Thursday is representative of a setback, or was simply maintenance-related.