Kevin Faulk (AP)

FOXBORO — Kevin Faulk completed one step of his journey back to football on Tuesday, when the veteran running back returned to the practice field with his teammates for the first time this season.

Three of the players who started the season on the physically unable to perform list — Faulk and defensive linemen Brandon Deaderick and Ron Brace — were all on the field at the start of practice Tuesday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. Because they have started practicing, the Patriots now have up to three weeks to decide to put them on the active roster or injured reserve. Until then, they don’t count against the 53-man roster.

Faulk, who suffered a knee injury last September and was placed on season-ending injured reserve soon after that, said he got the word over the weekend that he would be allowed to start practicing on Tuesday with the rest of his teammates.

“Right now, my understanding is that I get to practice today. And that’s my mindset right now. I get to practice today, and tomorrow, we’ll see what happens,” said Faulk.

“My mindset, when we started I could have come back,” he said. “But that’s me. That’s just me being a competitor, me wanting to be out there with my teammates. I want to be out there with my team. Right now, I feel a lot better than I did back then. I think that’s just the process that you go through. (But) I’m just ready to go back out there. That’s all.”

As for Brace, he injured his elbow against Buffalo last December and had offseason surgery. Brace said today he is excited to finally get back on the field.

“I’m getting ready to get a little work in finally,” he told reporters. “I’m ready to get out there again and get some work in, finally.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick hinted on Tuesday that roster moves could be looming. There are two spots available on the 53-man roster as the Patriots waived safety Ross Ventrone and cornerback Sterling Moore yesterday.