A.J. Brown’s status for the Patriots’ game against the Jets remains unresolved, according to CBS Sports. The New England wide receiver said Thursday that it is unclear whether he will play Sunday as he works back from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for a month.
According to CBS Sports, Brown said Thursday it is unclear whether he will play Sunday. “It’s up in the air,” he said, per CBS Sports. The Patriots opened his 21-day return window on Wednesday, when he practiced for the first time since suffering the injury, per CBS Sports. He was listed as a limited participant.
What The Team And Brown Have Said
Brown described his first practice back in encouraging terms. “I felt pretty good,” he said of Wednesday’s session, according to CBS Sports. He was listed as a limited participant that day, per Yahoo Sports.
Speaking again Thursday, Brown struck a measured tone about his recovery. “I feel pretty good. It’s one step at a time with me, each and every day, just trying to increase my [workload], and just see how I respond each and every day. But I feel good, on the grass, practicing, working on the sides a little more,” Brown said, according to Bleacher Report.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday the team would evaluate Brown’s practice reps. “He hasn’t been out there for four weeks, so we’ll get him out there practicing and see if he’s ready to go in a couple of days,” Vrabel told reporters, per Bleacher Report. CBS Sports reported that Vrabel will make the final call on Sunday’s availability.
Who Has Filled In During Brown’s Absence
While Brown has been out, Romeo Doubs has stepped into a larger role in the Patriots’ passing game. Doubs caught 13 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns during that stretch, according to Bleacher Report. If Brown is held out again Sunday, Doubs projects as a key target for quarterback Drake Maye against the Jets.
Season Context And Background
Brown, 29, arrived in New England after the Patriots acquired him from the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to Sports Illustrated. He joins the roster as a three-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion from his time with the Eagles, per Bleacher Report.
Maye has posted a 7:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the past two games, per CBS Sports. Maye pointed to the depth of the Patriots’ receiving corps when discussing how opposing defenses might have to account for Brown. “I think you see it in the NBA.
It’s probably the closest thing that I can think of. When they start doubling the best player once they get past half court, then they’re just leaving a corner 3 open or leaving a guy open for a dunk. So, it’s kind of like playing receiver and with a guy like that, we’ve got a lot of guys that have made plays now, so it’s going to be tough on defenses,” Maye told reporters, according to Bleacher Report.
What’s Next
The Patriots host the Jets on Sunday, and Vrabel is expected to finalize Brown’s status closer to kickoff based on his practice workload this week. New England also faces a rookie test on the other side of the ball, with Jets rookie David Bailey entering the Week 6 matchup on a hot streak. Further updates on Brown’s practice reps are expected to come before Sunday’s game.
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