FOXBORO — In a sign that both Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis are likely to miss the preseason opener Thursday night at Gillette Stadium, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said it’s likely that if a player hasn’t participated in practice, they won’t be game-ready for the Jaguars.

Belichick sounded optimistic that Haynesworth, who has battled lingering soreness in his knee, could be back on the practice field within the week.

“I’d put him in the day-to-day category,” Belichick said. “He’s getting some treatment and I think he’ll be back out there as soon as he can. He’s working really hard and hopefully, he’ll back out there in a matter of hopefully a day or a matter of days.”

Ellis, meanwhile, has overcome hip injuries and spent his first day of practice on Monday watching from the sidelines in shorts and a t-shirt.

“I think the players that have practiced at the positions they practiced at will, for the most part, play those positions,” Belichick said. “We’ll determine who all is going to play and when they’re going to play. I’d say the guys who haven’t practiced, yeah, they’re probably aren’t going to play. So, we’ll manage all the positions with the players who have played those positions, for the most part. We might have to move somebody around here or there just to get a lineup out there but for the most part, we’ll try to play the players who have practiced at those positions.”