Thomas is active - for walkthrough, anyway

Coach Bill Belichick was asked how things will proceed with Thomas this week.

“Everything’s the same for every player,’’ Belichick said. “They’ve all got the same job: come in, learn the game plan, be ready to go. Substitutions and playing time are all coaches’ decisions; they’re not players’ decisions.

“A player’s job is to be ready to play, and if he’s put into the game, then go out there and play his best. All 53 guys, it’s the same for all of them.’’

Thomas is in the third year of a five-year, $35 million deal. He wasn’t listed on the injury report in the days leading up to the game.

The Patriots will have two more practices before they leave tomorrow for London, where they will face Tampa Bay Sunday. Asked if he expected Thomas to be active for the game, Belichick said, “As we always do, we’ll activate the players that we feel give us the best chance to win this game, whoever those players are. And that goes across the board, all 53 guys.’’

Tate had been on the non-football injury list as he recovered from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament, suffered during his senior season at North Carolina last year. LeVoir had been on the physically unable to perform list because of a shoulder injury.

The first eligible day for either player to practice was yesterday.

“We’ll wait and see how that goes,’’ Belichick said. “We haven’t seen them do anything yet. They were just involved in the walkthrough.’’

He was surprised it all happened so quickly, but also relieved.

“It’s a good thing, so when the offseason comes, I won’t have to worry about looking for a job,’’ Aiken said. “So New England is where I am.’’

Aiken is also the special teams captain, and said that the role encouraged him to be more vocal. He has picked up added duties at receiver, catching five passes for 56 yards.

Aiken is in his second season with the Patriots and seventh overall.

“He’s done a great job for us,’’ Belichick said. “We brought him in here from Buffalo. He’s been a big producer for us in the kicking game, and the players elected him in an overwhelming fashion - it was almost unanimous, really - as their special teams captain.

“He’s done a great job for us at receiver at different points during his career, at different positions whether it’s inside or outside. So that was a player we have a lot respect for, that’s done a good job for us and that we want to continue with, so I’m glad we’re able to do that.’’

“If that’s what it is, then that’s what it is,’’ Belichick said. “Then somebody else would probably have to, as an emergency, be ready to back up that position.’’

The first practice/injury report for the week will be out today. Belichick was asked if he was confident Morris would return this season and he responded, “Sure. If the player wasn’t going to be back during the season, we’d place him on IR.’’

Monique Walker can be reached at mwalker@globe.com.