New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel gave an update on wide receiver A. J. Brown when he met with the media on Thursday afternoon. Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar reported this.
Brown left Wednesday’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks with an ankle injury and was wearing a walking boot at the end of the game. It is believed that the wide receiver suffered a high ankle sprain, and there is no specific timeline for when he will return.
Vrabel also said as much to the media, while giving an indefinite timetable.
“We’ll continue to evaluate, continue to run tests. I don’t know if he’ll be available here going forward for the next week, but we’ll see.”
Patriots Offense Struggled Without Brown
This news is certainly a bit alarming for Patriots fans. Brown was the key piece for the Patriots’ offense, and was the major offseason acquisition. Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that the Patriots’ offense stalled without Brown in the game.
The Patriots’ offense was definitely missing Brown’s production. They went for possessions while gaining fewer than 25 yards. They totaled just 93 yards on 32 plays for the rest of the game.
The absence of Brown was felt by quarterback Drake Maye as well. The signal-caller was now playing without his top target, and he struggled. The North Carolina product tried to make plays happen but instead turned the ball over. He had three interceptions in Wednesday’s contest, including a key interception in the red zone that sealed the game.
On top of this, the other wide receivers did not step up. Perhaps the biggest example of this was receiver Romeo Doubs. He had three drops on the evening, on three targets. He recorded zero catches on the night and dropped a pass that would have gone for at least 25 yards. Overall, it was not a good showing for a Patriots offensive unit that was supposed to be one of the best in the NFL.
Others Will Need To Step Up For Patriots
An extended absence from Brown can mean others need to step up. Mack Hollins tried to do so on Wednesday. He recorded 51 yards for the game. However, others, such as Kyle Williams made minimal impact. The Washington State product did see a bit of time in the game as a kick returner, but he could not make an explosive play. Overall, it was a difficult showing for the wide receiver unit all around.
At the very least, it sounds as though Brown will be out until at least the contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The dip in production when Brown went out was concerning. If anything, it’s very clear that the Patriots need him to return. Of course, losing a top option for any team is always a difficult hill to climb. On top of that, the Patriots are facing a stout defense in the Seahawks. Nevertheless, it’s clear that the team needs Brown in order to function properly offensively.
Patriots WR A.J. Brown ‘s Injury Timeline Murky as Vrabel Speaks