The New England Patriots announced that they have activated A.J. Brown from injured reserve Saturday, clearing the wide receiver to face the Jets on Sunday, as reported by to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo.
The return ends a four-game absence and raises an immediate question, namely how many snaps will Brown’s recovering ankle allow on a short week?
Coach Mike Vrabel tabbed Saturday as decision day, weighing Brown’s conditioning and how the receiver felt after practice. Brown opened his 21-day return window Wednesday, logged limited work through Friday and carried a questionable tag into the weekend. The Patriots were likely to make the move, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, who also reported it Saturday morning.
A.J. Brown’s Injury Recovery With the New England Patriots
Brown sprained his ankle in the third quarter of the Sept. 9 season opener at Seattle, about 30 plays into his first game with New England, according to Patriots.com writer Evan Lazar. He had caught three passes for 26 yards and drawn a 34-yard pass interference penalty before leaving the 13-10 loss.
He went on injured reserve two days later, which ruled him out for four games and set Week 6 as his earliest return. Early projections put his absence at up to six weeks, according to Pro Football Rumors.
New England went 3-1 in the four games he missed, beating the Steelers, Bills and Raiders and absorbing a 35-6 loss to the Jaguars. The offense scored 45 points against the Raiders last week, but the unit had trouble producing explosive plays without Brown.
The Patriots acquired Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles on June 1 for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to Patriots.com. He reunited with Vrabel, who coached him in Tennessee, and arrived with three Pro Bowl selections and six 1,000-yard seasons in his first seven years.
A.J. Brown’s Role in the New England Patriots Offense
“When they start doubling the best player once they get past half court, they’re leaving a corner three open or a guy open for a dunk,” quarterback Drake Maye said, as quoted by Patriots.com. Maye’s basketball analogy was manga to describe the opportunities a receiver like Brown creates for teammates by pulling defenders his way.
Brown is expected to line up mostly at the X position, with Romeo Doubs and possibly Efton Chism III at Z, DeMario Douglas in the slot on passing downs and Kyle Williams rotating in for Brown, according to Patriots.com.
Doubs has produced since Week 1, catching 12 passes for 203 yards over a three-game stretch before a one-catch, 16-yard Week 5, according to Pro Football Rumors. Mack Hollins, second on the team in receiving through five games, went on injured reserve last week with a calf injury.
Through five games, Maye owns a 65.6% completion rate, 1,228 passing yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.
New England visits Chicago on Thursday night, a two-games-in-five-days stretch, and Brown is rebuilding his conditioning after four weeks out, according to Patriots.com, which identified Sunday as a likely ramp-up.
The Patriots also elevated defensive back Elliott Davison from the practice squad, released running back Hassan Haskins from it and left offensive tackle Marcus Bryant on injured reserve. Brown’s activation fills the 53-man roster. Kickoff against the Jets at Gillette Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.
Patriots Announce Final A.J. Brown Decision Before Jets Game