The entire offseason for the New England Patriots seemed to be dominated by talks about A.J. Brown. Would the Patriots trade for him? What would they trade? Then, it was excitement about how he’d fit into the offense.
Given all of that, it’s hard not to be frustrated with how Brown’s season has gone. In the Patriots opener, Brown suffered a high-ankle sprain in the early stages of the second half that landed him on IR. He’s been back for two weeks now, but he has yet to become the player promised this offseason.
In his three games, Brown has been targeted 20 times. He only has 9 receptions for 101 yards, and he’s yet to catch a touchdown.
New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel on His Concern for A.J. Brown
Having played on Thursday Night, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had time to reflect on the most recent loss before his weekly appearance on The Greg Hill Show. So, it’s notable that he emphasized how little concern he has about where Brown is at right now.
“No,” Vrabel said. “I don’t have any concern.”
In some ways, it’s very understandable. Brown didn’t get to the team until June to start building chemistry, and the starters didn’t play in the preseason. Brown still needs time, and when you consider he’s coming back from an ankle injury, some growing pains make sense.
At the same time, Brown has struggled with drops, particularly in his return from injuries. There was also a deep ball the Patriots needed on Thursday night that, while tightly contested with arguably early contact, is the type of ball the Patriots brought him in to catch.
“I thought he dropped a few passes, and then the other night there was a contested catch that I’ve seen him make those plays in the past, I’ve seen those plays get called for DPI and I’ve seen those plays be good plays by the defense down the field,” Vrabel said.
“I don’t think anybody has to press here or anything else. I think we just have to get back into a rhythm offensively with the guys we have.”
Patriots WR A.J. Brown on His Performance
After the Thursday loss to the Chicago Bears, Brown was very open about his performance and the struggles he’s had this season. Despite that, he remains very confident in his ability to get things turned around.
“I’m a vet. I understand how the game goes. It’s just how the game is. I know the type of player I am, and I know that’s always the case. Every time I line up, I get a lot of attention, so teams try to take me away,” Brown said.
“That gives a lot of opportunities for other guys to make plays and soften it up for me. Then whenever I get my shots, I gotta make them.”
In the 30-24 loss, Brown finished with 3 receptions for 48 yards. That was third on the team in receiving and not what the Patriots brought him in for.
At least now the Patriots and Brown do get a few extra days to prepare for their next test. That’s on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel Shares Level of Concern With WR A.J. Brown